William Bulger

BULGER, William Warwick, 79, of Tampa, died at Edward White Hospital, St. Petersburg,Fla., July 31, 2006. Bill, the son of Florence Bulger and William Joseph Bulger, was born in Hollis, N.Y., July 5, 1927. He attended elementary school, Chaminade High School in Mineola, Long Island, and graduated from Andrew Jackson High School in St. Albans, N.Y. He was a star basketball player throughout high school. Bill enrolled in the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y., and graduated as an ensign. He served for two years. He graduated from Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., where he played basketball, was vice president of Delta Phi fraternity and Sphinx Head Honor Society. He then joined the U.S. Navy and was an intelligence officer aboard the USS Oriskany. After his active duty for four years, he remained in the Reserve and attained the rank of captain. Bill then attended the journalism school of the University of Missouri, after which his professional career began in journalism in Lee's Summit, Mo., working for the Lee's Summit Journal. He then worked for the Kansas City Star. From there, he went to serve in public affairs as director of Health Sciences at the University of Washington, Seattle, and following in the same capacity at the University of Nebraska, Omaha, University of Chicago, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, and retired as director of public affairs at the University of South Florida in Tampa for eight years. In Tampa, Bill was a member of the Tampa Yacht and Country Club, an active member of St. John's Episcopal Church and served on the board of directors for Howell Park. Bill was predeceased by his parents and his first wife, Mary Long, the mother of his seven children. He is survived by his wife, Susan Sossamon (Twomey Taylor) Bulger; his son, Thomas Michael Pierce-Bulger, his wife, Marilyn, and daughter, Kelly, of Anchorage, Alaska; his son, Michael William Bulger, his wife, Leslie Kent, and their children, Jack and Evan, of Silver Springs, Md.; his daughter, Kate Camber, and her son, Owen, of Seattle, Wash.; his daughter, Jean Ann, of Santa Cruz, Calif.; his daughter, Patricia Ann of Denver, Colo.; his daughter, Eileen Crose, her husband, Devlin, and their children, Collin and Emily, of Seattle, Wash.; and his daughter, Margaret "Peg" of Santa Cruz, Calif. Bill also is survived by his brother, Roger Bulger, M.D., his wife, Ruth, and their daughters, Faith and Grace, and granddaughters, Guilliana, as well as a cousin, Eleanor Denton of Pine Valley, Calif. He also is survived by his stepson, John J. Twomey III, his wife, Melissa, and their sons, Jack and Joe, of Tampa. There will be a memorial service at 11 a.m. Friday, August 4, 2006, at St. John's Episcopal Church, 906 South Orleans, followed by a reception in the parish hall. Contributions in memory of Bill should be made to St. John's Episcopal Church or the charity of your choice.