Columbia
Funeral Home
HATHORN FUNERAL HOME
Visitation
HATHORN FUNERAL HOME
Service
Saturday, 12 pm, HATHORN Funeral Home
Obituary
Military Service Tribute, Honors, and Obituary
Recognizing and Honoring a Fallen Hero, Who Served Within the Mississippi National Guard. “Fallen, Yet Not Forgotten”
In recognition of our proud American tradition of honorable service which our military men and women have given to their country and our State, we honor a Fallen Hero. Our nation, our state, and the National Guard Association of MS (NGAMS) regard the memorializing of its retired military deceased as an honorable and sacred obligation.
Another great Soldier and Fallen Hero has been released from duty, passed from our ranks on January 11, 2024, and has moved on to his heavenly home. SSG Hershel Bullock (Ret), age 86, who had served in the MSARNG within the 890th EN BN and the US Navy has departed and gone to a better place with our good Lord.
It takes a special person to serve within the military for their country, giving up their family time, comfort, and safety for their country, ultimately for all Americans to enjoy their freedoms, safety, and way of life. We now applaud you for your service to our country. A special message from General Douglas McArthur remains applicable today for our servicemen that have passed: “Old Soldiers never die; they just fade away”.
Rest in Peace Soldier. We applaud your patriotism, sacrifices, and brave efforts in serving our country and your family for their support of your service. We thank you for your service. Without your efforts and your families’ support, our country would not stand so boldly, shine so bright, and live so free.
You now have earned a rest, so go fly with the Angels, go rest high on that mountain; your work on earth is done. Go to heaven a-shoutin’ Love for the Father and the Son.
Another great Soldier has gone home, “Fallen, Yet Not Forgotten, Soldier for Life”.
Obituary, Visitation, and Service details:
Funeral services will be held at Hathorn Funeral Home on Saturday, January 13, 2024 at 12:00 pm for Herschel Bullock, 86, of Columbia, who passed away Thursday, January 11, 2024. Interment will be at Enon Baptist Church Cemetery in Columbia. Rev. Darrell Daniels and Rev. Bill Morris will officiate the services. Benji Lott and Megan Tarver will provide special music. Visitation will be held from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm on Friday, January 12, 2024 at Hathorn Funeral Home and again on Saturday, January 13, 2024 from 9:00 am until 12:00 pm.
Herschel was born at home June 25, 1937, as the second child to Vance Bullock and Viola Stevenson Bullock in the Enon Community. He was quite mischievous as a young lad. One story was that he broke his sisters’ doll, and he will go to his grave with a scar on his head from a drink bottle as pay back from his sister. He learned to work in his young years helping his dad with the farming. He plowed following a mule and never liked to be near a horse or mule after he grew up. He never tired of helping others, and always visited his parents, grandparents and neighbors after he had been away. His Dad started growing watermelons and depended on Herschel to stack his melons on the truck. They would haul melons to New Orleans and Memphis.
Growing up on the farm gave him first-hand experience in manual labor. These experiences gave Herschel an incentive to study hard and get a good education. He graduated from Sumrall High School as Valedictorian, went on to PRC for two years, working on campus and on Saturdays for his uncle to pay for his schooling.
In the summer of 1958, he accepted an offer from the US Navy to enlist in the Cadet program. He was stationed in Key West, Florida and started training as a pilot. He signed up for six years and after two years, he decided six years was longer than he wanted to be obligated in the program and dropped out with an honorable discharge and was transferred to Mississippi National Guard.
In 1956 he met Ruby and dated her off and on for several years. After coming home in 1960, he went to work in Pascagoula, Mississippi with Coastal Chemical as a lab analyst. In February 24, 1961 he married Ruby in the old Enon Church. The weather was terrible, flooded streams everywhere, with only one road open to the church. Tornados spun through communities.
Months after their marriage, they managed to move to Pascagoula. They came back home during Herschel’s off days. He was always good to check that his mother had what she needed and helped do things around the place.
Herschel was called to active duty during the Cuban Crisis, was stationed in Fort Rucker, Alabama. He was on survival maneuvers when Ruby went to the hospital for the birth of their first child. He received word by the Red Cross that he had a fine baby boy. On his way home, he stopped in Evergreen, Alabama and bought a blue cap, but when he arrived at Marion General, he was greeted by a baby girl. The cap was preserved…sixteen months later, they had their second baby girl. In 1965, he left Coastal Chemical and moved back home for him to enter the University of Southern Mississippi to finish his two years, and he graduated June 1966 with a bachelor’s in chemistry and Math.
He held several jobs and in 1969 after Hurricane Camille hit, he went to work offshore as a Roustabout and retired in 1989 as a work over and completion specialist with Mobil Oil. He then worked as an independent consultant until he was in a near fatal accident in Jeff Davis County. He was seriously burned by electricity. He surprised his doctors and later was cutting firewood and logged. He was happy when he was near nature and being in the forests. He had quadruple bypass in 1998, and he was blessed to recover without complications.He joined the Marion County Forestry Association and was an active Board Member as long as he was able. He helped cook for their field trips and functions.
In 2000 his health began to slow him down and he laid his chores aside all but cutting grass on several acres. He treated his Scag like it was a mini bull dozer. One time he ended up under the lawn mower trimming the side of the road and alarmed the whole community. On September 2, he was admitted to Forrest General ICU, came home the 5th for two days, was admitted again on the 7th for congestive heart failure, COPD, and other issues. He came home on the 26th of September, was admitted again to the hospital ICU on October 3, with GI blood. He was discharged to a nursing facility Oct 16th for two weeks. He was brought home on October 28th on home health. He insisted on getting up and coming to kitchen to his lift chair, where he spent his days. He fell many times and on December 7th he was switched from home health to hospice. He was issued a hospital bed but still insisted getting out of bed to his chair. He was weak and fell several times.
He was preceded in death by his Father, Vance Bullock; Mother, Viola Stevenson Bullock; one infant Daughter, Alisa Runell Bullock; two Brothers, Glen Allen Bullock, Roy Sam Bullock; three Sisters, Bobbie Dean Bullock Hill, Billie Sue Bullock and Brenda Pounds; one Granddaughter, Crystal Nicole Mcclelland.
He is survived by his Wife of 62 years, Mrs. Ruby Nell Cook Bullock; two Daughters, Amelia B. Rayburn, Angela B. Knippers (Jerry); two Brothers, Joseph Bullock (Martha Kay), Lavon Bullock (Carolyn); three Grandchildren, Brittni Cellini (Nick), Clint Rayburn (Joey), Megan Tarver (Eric); six Great-Grandchildren, Dallas Butler, Dakota Mcclelland, Kolten Mcclelland, Deacon Rayburn, Elizabeth Tarver, Journee Tarver.
Pallbearers will be Clint Rayburn, Dallas Butler, Joe Bullock, Hunter Hanberry, Mike Herrin, David Cook, Mitchell Cook and Trent Tolar. Honorary pallbearers will be Ronnie Tolar, Francis Herrin and Cary Williams.
Hathorn Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Friends may sign an online guest register book at www.hathornfuneralhome.com