A former assistant city manager who also served as an interim city manager fought back tears after the funeral for former City Councilman W.B. Bullock on Thursday at Englewood United Methodist Church.
“It was a great service,” Peter Varney said.
During part of the service, attendees were permitted to stand up and comment about Bullock.
The remarks included how much Bullock served Englewood United Methodist, the community and the nation.
“That’s who he was,” Varney said. “He just loved to serve.”
Varney also was moved by the large turnout for the service, with attendees having included many current and former local officials.
“He touched a lot of people,” Varney said of Bullock.
The Varneys and the Bullocks became backdoor neighbors in the mid-1970s, and the Bullocks invited the Varneys to church.
Bullock died on April 24 at age 87. He had Alzheimer’s Disease.
A businessman who served on the city council from 2002-22, Bullock also served in the U.S. Army, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard. Bullock was a command sergeant major when he retired after 42 years of having served in the military.
Former City Councilman Tom Rogers after the service Thursday said that he believes Bullock was just a wonderful example for everybody, including by being very devoted to his family.
More specifically, Rogers said of Bullock, “He was a servant leader to me.”
Rogers said Bullock was committed to his church, to his faith, to his country through his military service and then to his community.
“He was the whole package,” Rogers said. “I hope we will remember him and will teach others, particularly children: That’s how you be a good person.”
Former City Clerk Pamela Casey after the service said that Bullock was the kindest gentleman she ever knew.
“He had such a calm, sweet demeanor, cared about his city — and he cared about city employees,” Casey said.
Casey said that before every City Council meeting, Bullock would come by her office just to check in and see if she and the rest of her team needed anything and if he could help her and her team with anything.
“He will be missed,” Casey said.
City Councilman Lige Daughtridge after the service said that he and Bullock had a lot in common.
Daughtridge also spoke of him and Bullock having bounced ideas off each other and of Daughtridge having valued Bullock’s guidance.
Bullock was a fiscal conservative on city financial matters, as is Daughtridge.
“And many times we might have been the lone rangers on a few things,” Daughtridge noted.
City Attorney Jep Rose after the service said of Bullock, “He was a good, level-headed council member.”
Rose said that Bullock and City Councilman Andre Knight sparred at times but that they got along.
“They were civil to each other,” Rose said.
During the service, one of Bullock’s sisters, Nancy Shonk, gave remarks and told the attendees that her brother was always the most patriotic person she had ever known and called him “my patriotic hero.”
Bullock loved his country, Shonk said.
“Putting on his flag lapel pin was as natural as putting on his shirt,” she noted.
Shonk also said that her brother had patriotic caps and that when he put one of the caps on his head, “He was ready to go.”
Shonk said her brother loved a patriotic parade and rode in many as a city leader — and marched in probably many more while in the National Guard.
To her brother, she said, “You are greatly loved. You will be greatly missed — and you will always be my favorite patriot.”
During the comment part of the service, former City Clerk Jean Bailey stood up and said Bullock was a “very honorable council member.”
Bailey also emphasized her belief that Bullock always had the city’s best interests at heart in his decision making.
Bailey has been a member of Englewood United Methodist since 1968.
City Councilman T.J. Walker and Knight also stood up and spoke.
Walker expressed appreciation to the Bullock family for having given Bullock to the city to serve on the council.
Walker also emphasized that he believes people do not know how much such service as a council member takes away from that council member’s family and from that council member in terms of time.
Knight said that Bullock always fought for the city and for the veterans.
Knight also said that Bullock made sure that the city invested dollars in the Rocky Mount Veterans Memorial at Jack Laughery Park downtown and that Bullock participated in events there.
Addressing Bullock’s wife, his family, his church family and Varney, Knight said that Bullock “was there with us all the way” as a lifelong civil servant.
“W.B. was an honorable man,” Knight said. “He didn’t say much, but he was respected, not just on the council, but throughout the city.”
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