Former F.C. Resident Owen Bullock Dies at 52

Owen R. Bullock, 52, of Washington, D.C., passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at his home. The exact date is not known, but believed to be sometime around August 15, 2004. The cause of death is unknown at this time, but is presumed to be of natural causes. He was a kind and loving person who expressed care and concern for family and friends.

Owen was born on April 27, 1952, in Vallejo, California, the first of 3 children born to Bob and Mary Jo Bullock. The family moved to Falls Church in 1959. He attended Mt. Daniel elementary school, grades 1 – 6, then George Mason Jr./Sr. High School, grades 7 – 12, graduating in 1970. Professionally, he was very skilled in PC systems development, as well as starting his own business as an Information Technology Consultant. He was constantly learning and mastering new skills.

He also had a life-long love of books and reading, including Civil War History, modern religion, popular fiction, mysteries, biographies, the classics, and science fiction. He supplemented his income in recent years by working part-time at Barnes & Noble Booksellers at 7 Corners.

His interests included the performing arts, especially live theatre, as well as public radio (NPR & WAMU were favorites), old movies, cooking, wine, the Redskins, gardening, hiking, biking, and snorkeling.

He was fond of the works of Stephen Sondheim, Gilbert & Sullivan, Cirque du Soleil, and silent films with the NSO. He laughed at the antics of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, the Marx Brothers, and the Flying Karamazov Brothers, and watched almost every episode of “M*A*S*H*” and many” Star Trek” programs.

Musically his tastes ranged from the Beatles, Bonnie Raitt and Van Morrison to Miles Davis, Andreas Vollenweider, and the Linus & Lucy Theme. He loved to socialize, and was often the last to leave a party. Ever a gracious host, he would have 4th of July parties at his co-op in D.C. with a wonderful view of the fireworks and the waterfront. These parties also included fabulous gourmet food, prepared by Owen, and icy cold martinis. Several years ago he opened his heart and home to a stray tuxedo cat he named Simon. A couple of years later, he rescued a kitten he found in the parking lot at Barnes & Noble, and that’s how Barney joined the family. He never married. He was witty, intelligent, whimsical, hard working, accomplished, adventurous, fun, sophisticated, stylish, cultured, well read, helpful, kind and generous.

Among those he leaves behind are his parents, Bob of Farmington, New Mexico, Mary Jo of Falls Church; his sister, brother-in-law & nephew, Diann, Rick and Daniel Watkins of Falls Church; his brother, nephew, and niece, Bobby, Zach and Mallory of Stephens City, VA; and his half-sister, Sandra Bullock of Yakima, Washington.