Judge Terry L. Bullock

September 29, 1939 - August 2, 2019

Judge Terry L. Bullock, of Topeka, Kansas, and Palm Springs, California, passed away Friday,August 2, 2019, at Homestead in Topeka. He was born September 29, 1939, in Herington, Kansas, the son of Orville I. and Hazel J. Bullock. He is survived by his daughter, Susan Bullock, of Topeka and his son, John T. Bullock, and grandchildren, Cooper Borge Bullock and Kiefer Caldwell Bullock, all of Lawrence. Judge Bullock spent his childhood in Wilsey, Morris County, Kansas, where he graduated valedictorian of Wilsey High School in 1957. In 1961, he graduated, cum laude, from Kansas State University where he sang with the K-State Singers, touring the Far East under the direction of William R. Fischer. While at K-State, Judge Bullock was a member of Delta Upsilon Fraternity; later becoming a Member of the Board and President of the International Fraternity. He was also elected to Blue Key, senior men’s honorary, and Phi Eta Sigma and Phi Kappa Phi, scholastic honoraries. In 1964, Judge Bullock graduated with honors from the University of Kansas School of Law. During his law school days, he interned in the office of William Ferguson, Attorney General of Kansas, served as an Editor of the Kansas Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif, the law school scholastic honorary. Upon graduation, Judge Bullock began the practice of law with the Topeka firm of Cosgrove, Webb and Oman. In 1976, Judge Bullock was appointed District Judge of Kansas, and was retained in that office by the people of his district for over 30 years. Judge Bullock served as Chief Judge for five years and often sat with the Kansas Court of Appeals and the Kansas Supreme Court by special appointment. As chief Judge, he was instrumental in creating the first in the nation paperless system for the electronic processing of great numbers of cases efficiently and quickly. In his judicial work, Judge Bullock is best known for his constitutional decisions concerning the funding of the educational system for the State of Kansas. Judge Bullock taught Legal Ethics at both the University of Kansas School of Law and the Washburn University School of Law. His teaching activities spanned 38 years and his students numbered in excess of 10,000. Judge Bullock was honored by the Topeka and Kansas Bar Associations with their highest lifetime achievement awards. He was also a member of the American and Kansas Bar Associations and a lifetime member of the Fellows of the Kansas and American Bars. In the years following his active service on the bench, he continued to assist the bench and bar, serving as Mediator, Consultant, Special Master, Special Administrator and Expert Witness. Judge Bullock was a founding member of the Topeka Festival Singers, with whom he performed for over 25 years, touring Europe under the direction of Dr. Kevin Kellim. He was also a member of the A.F. & A.M., Scottish Rite Bodies (32nd Degree), and the Episcopal Church. Judge Bullock deeply loved his family, his friends, his profession, the Court, his music and his students. His fondest hope was that they all continue to grow, to prosper and to flourish. Judge Bullock’s funeral service will be August 16, Friday, at 2 p.m. in Grace Episcopal Cathedral, Topeka. Burial will be in Wilsey Cemetery, Wilsey, Kansas. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to the Kansas Bar Foundation or to Delta Upsilon Foundation, sent in care of Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home, 2801 SW Urish Road, Topeka KS 66614.