Larry Ben "Bear" Bulington
Larry Ben "Bear" Bulington
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Larry Bulington Obituary
He was an Eagle Scout and graduated from Monon High School in 1958. He joined the US Navy in 1959, where he served on the USS Newport News and participated in the US Blockade of Cuba in October 1962. He became an Indiana State Trooper and then a steel mill worker at Inland Steel in Gary. In 1965 he became a UAW line worker at the Dana-Spicer plant in Toledo, Ohio. In October of 1968, he was recognized as a hero by the City of Toledo for diving into the Ottawa River at risk of his own life to retrieve a motorist who had gone off a bridge and plummeted into the river. In 1978 he returned to Monon to farm and work as a foreman at Monon Trailer, later becoming a superintendent at Wabash National Trailer factory in Lafayette. Most recently he served as Senior Advisor for Operations Productivity at Autocar Trucks in Birmingham, Alabama.
Larry was a lifelong athlete with interests in a wide range of sporting activities, including auto racing, basketball, volleyball, Tae Kwon Do, and bicycling. A fan of classic country, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll, Larry was also a fine dancer and roller-skater. Above all, he was an extraordinary family man who was loved by many.
He is survived by his wife of over 60 years Jane (Frederick) Bulington; sons, Jeff (Susanne) and Mike Bulington; grandchildren, Carter and Elz Bulington; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Earl Donald Bulington; and sisters, Louise (Bulington) George, and Alice (Bulington) Fink.
The family has entrusted Hartley Funeral Homes with Larry's care.
Online condolences may be made at www.hartleyfuneralhomes.com.
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2 Entries
Geoffrey Greenberg
January 10, 2025
I met Bear in the mid/late 90s in Chicago and was struck by his smile and stature - he was a very tall, imposing man, but with a heart of gold. I have been longtime friends with his son, Mike, who I cherish as a close friend and has been my occasional bandmate since 1998. Bear will be missed by so many, His easy-going nature, his knowledge of all things great and small, his life experience through his stories and his love for his family was infectious. He was a tremendous father to his kids, and a devoted, caring husband to Jane. I am saddened by this news. May his memory be a blessing. All the love to the Bulington family and beyond.
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Jennifer Shipman
October 22, 2024
I'm an ex sister-in-law of Larry's and he and Jane were always my favorites. They were so kind and hospitable and genuinely cared for and about people. I never heard him ever say anthing negative about anyone. I hope he didn't suffer. My sympathy to Jane and Jeff and Mike. Love, Jennifer Shipman
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120 E. Main Street, Arcadia, IN 46030
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