Philip Raymond Bullock transcended into his eternal life after a long illness. Philip passed away quietly with family at his side.
Philip was born March 14, 1937 in Nyack, New York. He was the oldest child of Cheatham Bullock and Geraldine McMillian. He was a caring role model and big brother to two siblings: Dennis and Yvonne. Phil (as we all know him) was a faithful, loving, and caring husband to Elaine Hawkins, whom he was married to for 57 years until his death. Phil was a very supportive, caring and loving father of four children: Ty (Betrice) Blairstown, NJ, Valerie (Elmon) Nyack, NY, Michelle, and Letitia (Keith) Duluth, GA. He was also a wonderful and inspirational grandfather to six: Raymond, Austin, Tre, Andrew, Tatiyana and Jordan. And father figure to nephew Gordon and niece Jacqueline. And a host of cousins and friends.
Phil grew up in the Nyack School System and graduated from Nyack High School. After graduating from Nyack, Phil went to work for General Motors where he was able to take early retirement. Phil held multiple jobs at one time and there was one job he held that meant the most to him. He was the super of the apartments on High Avenue in Nyack and the apartments on Francis Avenue for his dear friends George and Nellie DeJong. This job was special to him and he held that job dear to his heart to the day he died. George and Nellie had a special place in his heart as his best friends. Phil trusted them with anything and they felt the same for him. Years later Phil worked for the Nyack water department as the Water Commissioner.
As some of you may know Phil had many interest and was great at all of them. His favorites became his hobbies, working on cars, fishing and woodworking. Working on cars became his part-time job at Getty’s Gas Station. Almost every Saturday (when he wasn’t fishing) he would be at Getty’s working on someone’s car. And there was not one car he didn’t fix. Fishing was his sport and the water was his home away from home. He would leave between 4:00 am and 5:00 am in the morning to go fishing and would be out on the water for hours with whoever could get to the car on time to go. And he would have the fishing pole in one hand and a beer in the other. Phil would not be happy to not catch any fish. And when he did catch a lot of fish everyone in the apartments we lived in knew we were having a fish fry. The woodworking was outstanding. All the different chairs, tables, chest, rocking horses, picture frames, display cases and the list goes on and on that he made. Every piece was slightly different from the next and all one of kind. You would think they were made by someone who went to school and had years and years of training. And no, Phil self taught himself to make all the things you see in his home or were fortunate enough to get from him.
Phil was a man of few words. And most of the time he would say things with a straight face and you had no idea he was joking until he laughed at you. Everyone who knows Phil would describe him as kind hearted, unselfish, role model, respectful, knowledgeable, compassion and so many other words. Philip will be missed by many. Philip Raymond Bullock will be missed by us all.
A special thanks to Craig Gathers for being a great friend to Phil over the years helping the family whenever things were needed.