Helen Bernece Hamilton Bullard

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Helen Bernece Hamilton Bullard, 97, former longtime Manila resident, died Tuesday May 1, 2012, at the Arkansas Hospice Care Center, St. Vincent's Hospital in Little Rock.

Born May 17, 1914, in Harrisburg, she was the daughter of the late Arthur and Eura Bolin Hamilton. She was a retired school teacher and public accountant who lived most of her life in Manila. She received her Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Arkansas State College in 1937 and her Masters of Arts degree from Memphis State University in 1956, graduating magna cum laude. Her teaching experience included McCrory High School, Arkansas State College in Jonesboro (business education). When she was employed by Arkansas State College to teach, she also acted as secretary to the President, Mr. V.C. Kays. She taught high school business courses at Manila and high school math at Cooter, Mo. She retired after having taught a total of 46 years.

During her teaching career she was active in various educational organizations. The American Council of Education, Washington, D.C. appointed her to serve as Consultant on the Committee of Accreditation of Service Experience. She was elected by her peers to serve as District Director of the Arkansas Business Education Association. The Arkansas State Department of Education appointed her to serve on the Arkansas Advisory Council on Secondary Education for a 10 year term. She served on the Arkansas School Improvement Program and was a Consultant to the Commission on Accreditation of Service Experience, Washington, D.C. In 1956-57 she served as Secretary of the Mississippi County Teachers Association and served on the Governor's Advisory Council on Education.

Mrs. Bullard's professional writing, "Here's How We Did It," was published in the May, 1958 issue of the Journal of Arkansas Education, and her article, "Techniques of Teaching Shorthand," was published in the ABEA Newsletter. During the six years Mrs. Bullard taught mathematics in the Cooter High School she sponsored numerous mathematics projects that were entered in the Southeast Regional Science Fair held annually at the Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Winners went on to the Missouri Junior Academy of Science to the International Science and Engineering Fair held in St. Paul, Minn., and to the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Academy of Science held in Washington, D.C. She was a member of the NEA, AEA, ARTA, NRTA, and the First United Methodist Church in Manila. In addition to her teaching career, Mrs. Bullard operated an accounting service for 35 years, retiring in 1988 at the age of 74.

Survivors include one son, James Russell Bullard, and daughter-in-law, Cecily Coffelt Bullard, of North Little Rock; one granddaughter, Jamie F. Bullard Alexander, of Georgia and one grandson, James Cecil Bullard, of Texas.

Visitation with the family was Thursday from 6 until 8 p.m. at the Howard Funeral Service Chapel in Manila. Graveside service with immediate family members was held at 10 a.m. Friday at Harrisburg Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked friends to consider memorials to the First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 1367, Manila, Ark. 72442 or Boy Scout Troop #32, 4601 W. Highway 18, Manila 72442.

The family would like to thank the Lonoke Nursing Home for their care and support, and to the Arkansas Hospice Care Center in Little Rock.

Guest register is www.howardfuneralservice.com.