Helen Bernece Hamilton Bullard

Helen Bernece Hamilton Bullard, age 97, died May 1, 2012 at the Arkansas Hospice Care Center, St. Vincent's Hospital in Little Rock, Ark. She had been a resident of the Lonoke Nursing Home for the past 4 1/2 years. Bernece was born on May 17, 1914 in Harrisburg, Ark. She was the daughter of the late Eura Bolin Hamilton and Arthur Hamilton of Harrisburg, Ark. Mrs. Bullard was a retired school teacher and Public Accountant who lived most of her life in Manila, Ark. She received her Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Arkansas State College (now ASU) in 1937 and her Masters of Art degree from Memphis State University in 1956, graduating magna cum laude. Her teaching experience included McCrory High School; Arkansas State College, Jonesboro, Ark. (business education); when she was employed by Arkansas State College to teach, she also acted as secretary to the president, Mr. V.C. Kays; high school business courses at Manila, Ark.; 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 of the American Council on Education, 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 Do 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, Mo. 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 First United Methodist Church in Manila. Mrs. Bullard operated a self-employed Public Accounting Service for 35 years, retiring in 1988 at the age of 74. She is survived by one son, James Russell Bullard and daughter-in-law, Cecily Coffelt Bullard of North Little Rock, Ark.; one granddaughter, Jamie F. Bullard Alexander of Georgia; and one grandson, James Cecil Bullard of Texas. A visitation with the family will be Thursday night from 6-8 p.m. at Howard's Funeral Home in Manila, Ark. A graveside funeral in Harrisburg Memorial Park, Harrisburg, Ark. with the immediate family members is planned for 10 a.m., Friday morning. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 1367, Manila, Ark. 72442. The family would like to express special thanks to the Lonoke Nursing Home for their care and support and also to the Arkansas Hospice Care Center in Little Rock. Guest register is www.howardfuneralservice.com.