Raleigh Bullard, Sr.

RALEIGH BULLARD, SR. Florence, S.C. Raleigh Bullard, Sr., ofDarlington, died Sunday morning in McLeod Hospice House after an illness. Mr. Bullard was born in Dillon County, a son of the late Clarence and Isla Clark Bullard. He was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII, having been a POW in the European Theater. In 1955, he joined the U.S. Air Force, retiring in 1972 as a Staff Sergeant. He was an honorary member of the "Rolling Thunder". After his military service, he retired from Bruce Hospital having worked in the Security and Maintenance Departments. He was a member of Bethea Baptist Church and a former member of First Free Will Baptist Church. Funeral service will be held at 2:00 P.M. Wednesday, October 13, 2010 in the Mount Hope Mausoleum Chapel. Entombment, with full military honors, will follow, directed by Stoudenmire-Dowling Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 6-8:00 P.M. Tuesday at the funeral home. Surviving are his wife, Sara Griffin Bullard of Florence; 3 children; Raleigh (Joyce) Bullard, Jr. of Timmonsville;Janet Martin of Florence, and Cathy (Marty Hilburn) Carter of Florence; brother, Billy (Phyllis) Bullard of Marion; Sisters; Dot Wise of Darlington, Annie Ruth (Jimmy) Pierce of Effingham, and Virginia Therrell of Alabama; 8 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his first wife of 51 years, Louise Woodle Bullard, brother, Lacy Bullard and 3 sisters, Ellen White, Mildred Paakkanen and Diane Robinette. The family would like to express their gratitude to the Bethea Baptist home, the 6th Floor at Carolinas Hospital System, and to the McLeod Hospice House. Memorial contributions may be made to Bethea Baptist Home, 157 Home Ave. Darlington, S.C. 29532 or to McLeod Hospice House, PO Box 100551, Florence, S.C. 29502.