Michael Dennis Bullard

Obituary: Michael Dennis Bullard Born: February 5, 1945 Died: October 14, 2019 Mike was born in Navasota Texas where his parents operated a dairy farm. His younger sister, Barbara, and he grew up there before moving to Houston for his High School and College. His parents were Eunice Hendrix Bullard and Dale Bullard. His older brothers were John Wilburn and Gary Bullard. An older sister, Juanita Cayard still lives at an assisted living facility in Tyler, Texas. Mike has three children: David Bullard of Texas, Jeff Bullard, a police Sergeant on the Casper Police Department and Christy Bullard with the U.S. Forest Service in Montana. Mike was very proud of his two grandchildren by Jeff and Tanis, Aydan who is a junior at NCHS and Hunter who is a Junior at the University of Wyoming. Christy and her wife Jeimi Woffinden reside in Whitefish, Montana. Mike started his working life as a rough neck in the oil fields of Texas and Louisiana. He married Idanel Dittert in 1965 and had a son, David. Mike was transferred to Wyoming with Dresser Magobar in 1967, his marriage did not survive the move. In May 1972, his boss introduced to him a young schoolteacher, Dorothy Burger, and they were married in August. She turned out to be his life's companion for 47 wonderful years. Mike and Dorothy started the first cross-country ski business in Casper, Cross Country Mountaineering on second street from 1972 into the 1980's. They became avid cross-country skiers before there were official trails, forming the first "club" of friends who skied every weekend with their bota-bags of wine. In 1973, Mike had the opportunity to work in Nigeria, West Africa. The newlyweds took off on a three-year adventure visiting several countries in Africa and spending leave time touring all western Europe. In 1976, expecting their son Jeff, the couple returned to Casper. Mike, and a couple of hired hands, built their beautiful cabin near Crimson Dawn on Casper Mountain. A daughter, Christy followed shortly. Jeff and Christy grew up as mountain kids spending weekends and vacations in their beloved cabin. This cabin was the family focal point and the desired location for many weekends, summer vacations, and Christmas celebrations for over forty years. In 1982 the oil field crashed, leaving Mike to retrain to work as a financial planner with VALIC from 1990 to 2001. During these years he was voted ‘best dad' at Jefferson school and Grant. He was the go-to guy for any projects needing a "handyman" at school. He was at every game and school activity, even becoming the default coach for his daughter's soccer team. He became the neighborhood handyman after his retirement, doing fix-up work for all the ladies of the "Geo-wives hiking group". He served on several boards, the Natrona County Senior Center and the Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming. He took special pride in planning and supervising the building of the first two of several yurts replacing dilapidated tents at Camp Sacajawea. During his retirement years he and Dorothy took extended trips to the farthest corners of the U.S. including a long-awaited fall trip to Canada and New England. Their National Parks Pass was a great treasure and well used in those years. They also made trips to Greece, Turkey, and Mexico as well as Alaska and Hawaii, taking full advantage of the time we were given. Mike asked that there be no formal services, but the family plans a celebration of life next summer on Casper Mountain. In lieu of flowers, we urge donations go to the Natrona County Senior Center, or a charity of your choice.