John Carson Bullard

John Carson Bullard, age 99, a long-time resident of Montgomery, Alabama, died peacefully, September 3, 2024. Survivors include his sons, John Carson Bullard, Jr., and Dr. Roy Harrell Bullard, his daughters-in-law Rita Jennings Bullard and Kim Cook Bullard all of Montgomery, Alabama. His grandchildren Mary Elizabeth Bullard of Sewanee, Tennessee, John Carson Bullard, III, of Montgomery, Alabama, Savannah Reid Bullard of Nashville, Tennessee, Anna Claire Bullard of Birmingham, Alabama. Nieces Ann Bullard Mosley (John) of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, Connie Campbell (Renee) of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, Sandy Balkom (Mike) of Montgomery, Alabama, Lynne Oswald of Balsam, North Carolina, nephews William M. Bullard of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, John Jette Campbell (Linda) of Charlotte, North Carolina, Doug H. Oswald II, (Lee Yi) of Ocala, Florida, and Ralph Bullard Campbell (Georgia) of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.

John C. Bullard was born in his family home at 188 Circle Drive in DeFuniak Springs, Florida on August 12, 1925, to Albert Fletcher Bullard and Mary Virginia Cumming Bullard. Much of his youth was spent on the yet to be developed beaches of south Walton County, Florida. He was uniquely awarded two high school diplomas: one from Walton County High School in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, and one from Riverside Military Academy in Gainsville, Georgia. He attended Duke University on a Naval V-12 scholarship studying civil engineering and graduated a member of both Phi Beta Kappa, and Tau Beta Pi engineering honorary society. Upon arrival at Duke, the commanding officer assembled the freshmen in the dining hall and ordered they had ten minutes to declare a major. John was fortunate in that he knew what he wanted to study.

After graduation in 1947, John, his sister, and other friends traveled the western United States in a new two door five passenger white Ford coupe; a graduation present from his mother. On his return, he began working for the Virgina Highway Department designing roads in the State. After being told by a coworker, “If you stay working here for five years, you’ll be here the rest of your life”, he decided move on. Taking a job in Salisbury, North Carolina, he worked with a large construction company building the VA hospital.

John met his future wife Mary Ellen Harrell of Elkin, North Carolina on the steps of Salisbury Methodist Church. After marrying, they moved to Montgomery, Alabama where John worked for Blount Brothers Construction - Heavy Division building bridges and other civil engineering projects. Among other projects, he built the northbound US Highway 31 bridge over the Alabama River to Prattville.

https://digital.archives.alabama.gov/digital/collection/photo/id/17358/rec/10 In 1963, he founded Bullard & Rodgers Construction Corporation and completed many federal and state projects in the southeast.

John was an active member of First United Methodist Church in Montgomery where he was involved on every level in the local church. He served the Church nationally as a member of the General Council on Finance and Administration. He was a delegate to six World Methodist Conferences and served on the Russian Resource Press Board of Directors. John also had an active interest in United Methodist Higher Education. He served as a member of the Committee of 100-Candler School of Theology, Emory University. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of Huntingdon College, President and Chairman of Board of Directors of Biblical Resources Study Center, Member of the Huntingdon Society, and Member of the John Massey Heritage Society of Huntingdon College.

He served on the Board of Directors of the Alabama World Affairs Council and the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra. John and Mary Ellen loved traveling to Israel for educational studies through Biblical Resources Study Center in Jerusalem.

John led the family on many interesting trips including two trips through the western US and seven annual multi-day trips motorboating down southeastern rivers. Both sons and his grandson achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, and he participated at the troop level and on outdoor trips including a five day seventy-five mile, hike of the Appalachian Trail through the Smokey Mountains.

Memorial gifts may be made in memory of John C. Bullard to the A.F. and Virginia Bullard Endowed Scholarship at Huntingdon College, 1500 East Fairview Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36106 or via www.huntingdon.edu/give or Stegall Seminary Scholarship Endowment Trust, c/o First United Methodist Church, 2416 W. Cloverdale Park, Montgomery, Alabama 36106

Visitation will be 10:00-11 AM Friday in Fellowship Hall at First United Methodist Church. Resurrection services will be at 11 AM Friday September 6, 2024, at First United Methodist Church.