Jeanne Claire Bullock

Jeanne Claire Buerkle Bullock was born on March 5th, 1945 in Sacramento, CA to Lee Buerkle and Claire (Gambold) Buerkle. She left this life on August 5th, 2021. She was preceded in death by her parents. She leaves behind her sons Dennis (and his wife, Mary) and John (and his wife, Monica), their father, Dennis C. Bullock, her sister, Nancy Lee Buerkle Groppenbacher, six surviving cousins, and her grandchildren – Isabella, Luke, Aubrey, Henry, Jackson and Jake.

Jeannie, as she was always known, was a happy and pretty little girl, who loved playing with her toy cars and horses, and enjoyed riding her bike and her roller skates around the neighborhood. She graduated from Our Mother of Good Counsel Elementary School and Holy Family Girls’ High School, and retained lifelong friends from both. She and her sister, Nancy, were friends as well as sisters, and stayed that way through the years, always only a phone call away.

Throughout her adult life, Jeannie was an incredibly loving and supportive mother to her sons, Dennis and John. She was always present and involved, often volunteering at St. Casimir Grade School where Dennis and John attended grades 1 through 8. As her boys grew up, Jeannie became something of a second mother to many of Dennis’ and John’s friends. Everyone knew they’d be welcome in her home, and somehow there was always enough food for an extra plate (or two), and enough love and laughter to make everyone feel like family. She genuinely cared for every one of her sons’ friends, and that love and care is a great example of how she treated people in general. To Dennis’ and John's closest friends, she was known as Mrs. Bullock, or Mrs. B., or Mama B. – or just Mom.

Jeannie was an avid sports fan, as evidenced by her love for the Rams, Lakers, and Dodgers. She was also a huge fan of classic films like “Desk Set,” “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dreamhouse,” and “It’s a Wonderful Life”; and Golden Age actors such as Cary Grant, Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, and Jimmy Stewart. She was also an avid crossword puzzle and gameshow enthusiast. Jeannie completed dozens of crossword puzzle books from beginning to end, which translates to multiple thousands of puzzles. Any type of quiz show was fine with her, but she particularly loved Jeopardy; she played along nightly and quite often outshined the best contestants.

Jeannie was always there for her family. Like everyone, she faced many significant challenges, but always surmounted them with both courage and grace – to the admiration of all those around her. She did her best and it was always more than enough. Her sons and close friends knew that when the chips were down, and all seemed hopeless, you didn’t ever bet against Jeannie.

Jeannie was diagnosed with head and neck cancer in the summer of 2020 and began treatments in the fall. Those treatments led to, and revealed additional, health challenges. It is an understatement to say that through this struggle, she suffered greatly. She fought through these terrible medical difficulties during her last year and especially her last six months – her will to remain a part of her family’s and friends’ lives (let’s face it – her grandchildren’s lives) augmented her already incredible strength and tenacity. It revealed to perfect strangers charged with her care all of her best qualities – always smiling and holding the hand of a caregiver, leaving an indelible impression on each one.

Jeanne Claire Buerkle Bullock was a special woman who contributed more to the world by just being herself than she ever realized. That truism can be seen easily just by the outpouring of sorrow and love during her recent battles and at the news of her passing. She is gone from this Earth, leaving a void in so many earthly lives, but she is in Heaven, smiling down upon us, awaiting a reunion with each of us. For the rest of our earthly lives, we will miss her incredibly…

A wake for Jeanne will be held Thursday, August 26, 2021 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Glendale Funeral Home, 511 South Central Avenue, Glendale, CA 91204. A Funeral Service will occur Friday, August 27th, 2021 at 9:00 AM at Glendale Funeral Home, a graveside service will immediately follow at 11:00 AM at Calvary Catholic Cemetery, 4201 Whittier Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90023.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.glendalefuneralcares.com for the Bullock family.