William Bill P. Bullis

William P. Bullis, age 79, beloved husband for 55 years of the late Patricia M. Bullis; devoted father of Paula M. (Jeff) Moore, Martin J. (Sue) Bullis, Patrick T. Bullis and Anthony P. Bullis; loving grandfather of Jacob and David Moore, Lauren and Lindsey Bullis, Kyle Bullis, Alivia and Joseph Bullis.

Memorial visitation Friday 1:00 pm until time of Memorial Service at 4:00 pm at Blake-Lamb Funeral Home, 5015 Lincoln Ave., Lisle (on Rt. 53, ½ mile south of Ogden Ave./ Rt 34).

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 55 East Monroe Street, #3420, Chicago, IL 60603 Ph. (312) 346-1805 or at www.diabetes.org/chicago

For additional information, call the funeral home at 630-964-9392.

William P. Bullis was a man for whom actions would speak louder than words. His life motto might well have been “if it isn’t logical, it’s not important.” The qualities of being fair, just and the ability to recognize what was right were clearly driving forces in Bill’s life. He was also the kind of person who could respect a “do not disturb” sign, whether it was real or implied. He was analytical and observant, with an ability to be simultaneously spontaneous and keenly perceptive. Bill was modest in his actions. He communicated with humor and at times it was difficult to differentiate humor from reality. However for serious discussions one knew when Bill said something, he meant it. All those who knew him appreciated this trademark quality.

His parents were Harold and Phoebe Bullis. Bill's father died when he was 6 months old. In time, Phoebe re-married Albert Lucas who, together with Phoebe, raised Bill. Bill was raised in Plattsburgh, New York and Detroit, Michigan. Even as a small child, Bill wanted to understand what was right and what was wrong in any given situation. As Bill grew older, he realized the importance of being treated fairly, and in return, he treated everyone around him the same way. This belief in fair play served Bill well throughout his life and he enjoyed a solid group of friends.

Since Bill sought to treat those around him with respect. He would look at the most reasonable and practical ways to settle any disputes. Bill had 2 sisters. An older sister Shirley and a younger sister Patsy. Bill was constantly involved in activities with his siblings. He and his siblings shared many life experiences.

During his childhood, family and friends viewed Bill as active, playful, and witty. In fact, he was a fairly curious child who had the ability to entertain himself. A great deal of Bill’s free time was spent learning how and why the things around him worked. He was an active child who loved being outdoors and absorbing all the sensory input that nature could provide. He took part in hockey, baseball, football and golf. Bill's memorable achievements included his First Holy Communion, being an altar boy, and his confirmation.

The fact that he was curious was an asset to Bill while he was in school. He possessed strong study skills and good concentration. He relished the task of scrutinizing problems, investigating all of the options and then solving them. Bill enjoyed tackling the project that was right in front of him and working it straight through to its conclusion. Sometimes, he would become so involved in the process of problem solving that he would lose awareness of his surroundings. Experience was Bill’s best teacher. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. One day Bill played hookie from school to see a Tiger's baseball game. To his surprise the next day on the front page of the newspaper was a photo of the crowd enjoying the game. . . . . and Bill was is the center or the photo.

The same qualities that served as assets for Bill while he was in high school were tools that built success in his college years. His ability to work through problems and assignments without wasting time and energy demonstrated to his instructors that he possessed a real “stick to it” attitude that allowed him to succeed despite an underlying desire to defer making difficult decisions. Bill was an analytical and an independent thinker, qualities that allowed him to develop and implement effective strategies and techniques. Bill attended and enjoyed his time at the University of Detroit.

Those who didn’t know Bill well might have thought him to be objective and somewhat emotionally detached, but family and friends who were close to him knew that he was capable of utilizing humor to demonstrate love and affection. Bill’s good friends tended to be “jokesters” like himself. Even though the circle of friends was somewhat small, it was a strong and loyal group, and Bill liked nothing better than to spend his free time with them. Bill was well known for always being up front and open, never hiding his true feelings, qualities that drew deep loyalty from his friends because they understood and appreciated him for the person he was. Another quality that people admired in Bill was his ability to link cause and effect and apply the appropriate connection in his assessment of any new situation. While growing up, some of his best friends were Don and Bill Trolley. Later in life, he became friends with Bill and Laura Colasinski, Gene and Verla Sibery, Jim Martin, Tony and Donna Scharnagle, Don & Bonnie Brauch and Jim O'Hare.

This same loyalty and up front honesty Bill shared with his friends carried over to other aspects of his life, including his relationships with his family. On June 2, 1956, Bill exchanged wedding vows with Patricia Marie Monk at St. Gabrielle's of Detroit, Michigan. The marriage became a solid relationship, due in part to Bill’s skill at bringing fresh energy and clarity to meeting Pat's needs. He was a great listener who enjoyed the couple’s “together” time, especially when it came to celebrating special occasions.

As the family grew, Bill was easily able to adapt to the changes and challenges of parenthood. Bill was blessed with four children, one daughter, Paula and three sons, Martin, Patrick and Anthony. They were also blessed with seven grandchildren, Jacob, Kyle, David, Alivia, Lauren, Lindsey and Joseph. Bill was never impulsive in dealing with family problems. Instead, he would carefully think things through before implementing the solution in a logical and objective manner. Bill was a strong, clear communicator who excelled at eliminating confusion by making matters crystal clear to all those involved. At the same time, Bill’s inventive nature could turn some of the boring old household chores into a fun activity for the family.

In his work life, Bill was the kind of person who had no difficulty in taking on a project and seeing it through to its completion. He excelled at dealing with those pesky details that can derail some people, and once he understood exactly why he was working on a project, he could plow full steam ahead. For Bill, being able to grasp the logical components of any task was significant to him in appreciating its importance. Even if he worked alone on an assignment, Bill was able to incorporate and welcome new insights from co-workers, and he would readily use them if they improved the process. His primary occupation was the Senior Vice President for Blue Cross/Blue Shield. He was employed there for 35 years. Bill retired at the age of 53. Bill always made the effort to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

Bill was an Marine veteran. He understood his duty to serve his country and the importance of getting a job done. He was comfortable with the routines of the military and even liked them to some degree, especially when it came to grasping the clear instructions and guidelines he was expected to follow. He was in the service during the Korean War during which he spent time in South California and Hawaii. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of Sergeant.

Bill’s curious and inquisitive nature influenced his choice of leisure pursuits as well. He applied his strong concentration and analytical skills as to how things worked to his choice of activities. His favorite pursuits were sports, cribbage and other card games. Bill was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Bill had the ability to stay calm and the determination to do what was necessary to get the job finished, traits that helped him enjoy sports. Recreational sports included golf, bowling, softball, hockey and tennis. Bill was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed following his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. He will be remembered by his grandsons for his ability to make football picks. His favorite sport was baseball.

If Bill believed in a cause or an idea, he was willing to work hard on its behalf. Bill was a member of several community groups, including coaching his sons little league teams.

Religion and faith were important to Bill. He held dear the faith and values he derived from his beliefs. He served as usher and lector at St. Joan of Arc Parish in Lisle, IL. He has been a member St. Margaret Mary Catholic Community for the last 10 years.

Bill appreciated the occasions when he was able to travel and get away on a vacation. He enjoyed learning about different locales and was open to exploring new and different places. Favorite vacation spots included a trip on a houseboat; Yellowstone National Park; Lake Barkley, KY; Cedar Point, OH; and Fort Walton Beach, FL. He thoroughly enjoyed hitting the road without firm plans.

Bill was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of Bill’s favorites was Brandy, an airdale. Another favorite pet was an another dog named Dolly.

As his retirement approached, Bill viewed the event as just one more project to research and solve. So, when the day finally arrived in 1985, he was well prepared. In retirement, he found new pleasure in golf, boating and spending time with his family & friends.

Bill passed away on June 20, 2012 at his home. Bill is survived by his children Paula, Martin, Patrick & Anthony; and his grandchildren Jacob, Kyle, David, Alivia, Lauren, Lindsey and Joseph.

Bill strongly believed that talk is cheap. He was the type of person who would show others his feelings through his actions. He was practical and realistic but was able to be flexible when the need arose. He had a curiosity about the things around him and tried to experience life directly rather than sit back and talk about it. The experiences he treasured most were those he shared with his loved ones. William P. Bullis will be greatly missed.