Obituary of David Bullard

Thomas David Bullard, 92, of Schuylerville, died Sunday February 19, 2023 at the family home with his children by his side. He was born October 3, 1930, son of the late Kenneth and Adelaide (Gannon) Bullard.  He is survived by daughter Spring Bullard of Hailey, Idaho, and son Alpheus Bullard (Christy Howard) of Juneau, Alaska. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Hilary Tann and younger brother, James Bullard.

David had a remarkable life. He was a graduate of Kent High School, Cornell University, and the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies. Among other accomplishments, he served as a Lieutenant in the Army's 1st Cavalry Division, crossed Africa by motorcycle, had a career with Dupont in Japan, operated the family farm in Schuylerville for over 35 years, and ran for governor of New York in 1974.

David was a man of faith.  A member of St. David’s Anglican church, he regularly played the organ for worship services.  Serendipitously, he met Hilary Tann who was visiting one Sunday.  They  discovered that each spoke Japanese.  Enchantment followed and they married on August 15, 2002. 

David was devoted to the protection and restoration of historical sites.  He was involved in the restoration of Schuylerville’s Bullard Building, helping spark the revival of downtown businesses.  The family home, the Marshall House, was state and federally registered as an historic site.  He and Hilary regularly opened the Marshall House for tours and reenactments of the Battle of Saratoga when the house served as a hospital. Guests were amazed by the model railroad in the basement.

David had a remarkable skill set. There wasn't much that he could not fix or repair, he was multilingual, he was a story-teller par-excellence, he had the greenest thumb, and his memory and intellect were acute. He will be remembered by the myriad friends he made across his 92 years.  

In keeping with David's faith, funeral and interment services will be private.  In lieu of flowers, friends and acquaintances are invited to make memorial donations to St. David’s Church, 1014 Blissville Rd., Poultney, VT 05764.