Ellsworth "Bob" Tulberg

Lieutenant Colonel Ellsworth Eugene “Bob” Tulberg Sr. traveled home to his savior on March 2, 2018. At his bedside were Carolyn, his loving wife of 65 years and other family members. Bob was born on September 13, 1930 in Bismarck, North Dakota. During World War II his family moved to Santa Paula, California where he attended Isbell Jr. High, Santa Paula High School, and Ventura College. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1950, and after completing pilot training, in 1953, married Carolyn Louise Richards. During his early Air Force career, they were stationed in Valdosta, Georgia, then Wichita, Kansas, where daughter, Bobbi, was born. While they were stationed in Wichita, Carolyn traveled to California where twins Amy and Terri were born at Port Hueneme Naval Base. The family moved to Nellis Air Force Base (AFB) where Bob received additional training. His next station was Kadena AFB in Okinawa, Japan, as a member of the 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron. This assignment also took him to Korea. In Okinawa, his first son, Ellsworth (Gene) Jr. and fourth daughter, Patty, were born. The growing Tulberg family moved again when Bob was stationed at Eglin AFB in Florida where he participated in the category II testing of the Republic F-105 Thunderchief Fighter/Bomber. Son Clark was born there. The Air Force sent him next to USC where he earned his degree in Aeronautical Engineering. At USC he was a member of the Tau Beta Pi fraternity. Following graduation, he worked at Systems Command at Vandenberg AFB on a program that launched top-secret weather satellites. During his time in California, the family lived in Van Nuys, where Mary, Mattie, and Carl were born. The Vietnam War took Bob to Takhli, Thailand where he flew 100 missions over North Vietnam. His next assignment was at the Pentagon where he was Project Element Manager for the Minuteman Missile Program. While stationed at the Pentagon, the family lived in Camp Springs, Maryland and their tenth child, Christine, was born.

During his 22-year Air Force career Bob earned numerous medals and commendations including: Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross + 2 Oak Leaf Clusters (OLC), Air Medal + 13 OLC, Meritorious Service Medal + 1 OLC, Air Force Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal + Bronze Service Star, Outstanding Unit Award + 2 OLC, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. Upon his retirement from the Air Force in 1973, Bob’s family moved back to Santa Paula, California. He and Carolyn worked as realtors for Richards Realty and in 1977, Bob was elected president of the Santa Paula – Fillmore Board of Realtors. Bob’s next job was working as a civil engineer for the City of Santa Paula. During these years, Bob spent as much time as he could flying taildraggers at Santa Paula Airport and at various times was the owner of a Piper Vagabond, a Pazmany PL-4, and even an acrobatic Pitts biplane. His vast flying experience and good-natured humor fit in well with the cadre he liked to call the Airport Bums. Throughout their lives together Bob and Carolyn took the family on long trips throughout the country and in later years embarked on multi-month RV trips from Mexico to Alaska and points between.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Einer and Amelia Tulberg, and his sister, Shirley Boetius.

He will be fondly remembered by his wife, Carolyn; his ten children: Bobbi Tulberg, Amy Gurrola (Tim), Terri Marzec (Craig), Ellsworth Eugene Tulberg Jr. (Melissa), Patty Arguelles (Eddie), Clark Richards Tulberg (Hannah), Mary Dean (Ron), Mattie Oehmke (Jack), Carl Einer Tulberg (Mana), and Christine Popok;

his thirty-two grandchildren: Lora Pollack (Steve), Jamie Blaylock (Nick), Esther D’iSobella (Doug), Heather Jones (Chris), Jessica Winchester (Ryan), Holly Rogers (Chad), Janen Dean, Jennifer Whorton (Justin), John Arguelles, David Gurrola (Rochelle), Brant Dean (Angela), Anthony Gurrola (Ashley), Jason Tulberg (Hailey), Chris Gurrola (Cassie), Sam Tulberg (Annemarie), Joshua Tulberg (JuliAnn), Adam Oehmke (Alyssa), Dorothy Berndt (Michael), Evelyn Nichols (Matt), Allen Dean (Lauren Dodd), Daniel Tulberg, Henry Tulberg, Heidi Parkhill (Lawrence), Mark Dean (Megan), Joseph Tulberg, Charles Oehmke, Ayli Tulberg, Kyle Popok, Max Tulberg, Elan Tulberg, Logan Popok, and Thomas Tulberg;

his thirty-nine great grandchildren: Nicole Geis, Emma Dean, Grace Dean, Ella Dean, Brooke Blaylock, Aiden Rogers, Amelia Dean, Makayla Dean, Makenzie Rogers, Brayden Blaylock, Harmony Dean, Emma Oehmke, Bradley Gurrola, Luciana Gurrola, Wyatt Winchester, Brienna Gurrola, Parker Jones, Grace Gurrola, Joaquin Gurrola, Cheyenne Winchester, Charlotte Gurrola, Shasta DiVento, Asher Gurrola, Henry Dean, Adam Jones, Annelise Gurrola, Isaac Berndt, Zoey Nichols, Everly Gurrola, Ryan Gurrola, Morgan Jones, Owen Berndt, Viviana Gurrola, Hannah Oehmke, Fern Dean, Jesobri D’iSobella, Vivian Nichols, Aurora Tulberg, and Adeline Parkhill; his numerous in-laws, nieces, and nephews.

The family is grateful to all who so graciously assisted during this difficult time, especially Dr. Michael Tushla, Access TLC for Bob’s hospice care and to Father Tom Dome for spiritual support.

His loving life of faithful service and an incredible legacy will be celebrated as follows:

Rosary at St. Sebastian Church, 235 N 9th St, in Santa Paula, at 7 PM on Thursday, March 8, 2018

Funeral Mass at St. Sebastian Church at 10:30 AM on Friday, March 9, 2018, followed by

Military Honors & interment at Pierce Brothers Santa Paula Cemetery, 380 Cemetery Road.

Reception at St. Sebastian Parish Center.