Samuel Thomas Bullock, 100, died on July 25, 2012 at his residence, Rose’s Assisted Living, in Atascadero, California. Born on January 12, 1920 in Marion, Illinois to the late Alva Conan and Della (Sherertz) Bullock, he attended primary schools in Pittsburg and Marion, Illinois.

He left Illinois in 1940 to attend Curtiss-Wright Aviation School in Glendale, CA where he graduated in 1942. While attending school there, he hired on at Lockheed Aircraft during its heyday. He married Ismay McRoy on August 14, 1942 in Glendale, California. He continued to work at Lockheed during the early part of World War II designing the P-38 Lightning. When that aircraft was complete, Sam joined the Navy and was stationed at Astoria, Oregon for the duration of the war. He was discharged in June 1946.

Sam registered for school at the Parks College of Aeronautical Technology, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri. Instead of paying rent for the three months before school started, Sam and Ismay packed their car and went on a tour of Mexico.  When he graduated from Parks, they returned to California and his work at Lockheed. He was instrumental in designing the L-1011 Tristar Airliner, the Stealth Fighter, the SR-71, the C- 130 Hercules, the Lockheed U-2, and the Lockheed Constellation (“Connie”), to name a few.

Sam and Ismay inspired their children to be lifelong adventurers and travelers by taking them on trips across the United States every summer. It is laughed about in the family when they recall that they never spent a three-day weekend at home.

Sam was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, his sister, Mary Bullock Jones and two nephews, Michael Yearack and Jeff Jones. Survivors include: sons Tom Bullock (Margaret) of Atascadero, CA and Scott Bullock (Kathy) of Canyon Country, CA; daughter, Janis Bullock (Chuck Paden) of Bozeman, MT; granddaughter, Melissa Bullock Sabino (Ricardo) and grandson, Steve Bullock; two great grandchildren, Gabriel and Nyla Sabino and five nephews. The family would like to thank Rose’s Assisted Living, where Sam was cared for lovingly to the end, Dr. Jeff Bourne and his staff, and Central Coast Home Health and Hospice.  Due to COVID-19 pandemic, a memorial service will be held at a later date.