Pastor Richard “Rick” Allen Bullis September 27, 1945 – February 14, 2019 Share this obituary Send Flowers View/Sign Guest Book| Send Private Condolences| Send Sympathy Card Pastor Richard “Rick” Allen Bullis, 73, of the City of Wood Dale, Illinois went on to his Heavenly home on February 14, 2019. Richard was born on September 27, 1945 in Aurora, Illinois to Richard Edwin Bullis and Rosemary Julia (Hankes) Eissler. Preceded in death by his parents, his step-father William J. Eissler and his wife Elizabeth (Betsy) Bullis.
Richard received his early education at Olney C. Allen grade school under the encouragement and influence of Ms. Ethel M. Berg – his principal, who realized his potential and took special interest in him – even driving him to and from school each day. Already an overachiever at 6, he skipped first grade and subsequently graduated at age sixteen from Aurora East High School. He was accepted into the co-op program at Illinois Institute of Technology, simultaneously studying and working at International Harvester Company, a member and president of the Pi Kappa Phi social fraternity and member of the Rho epsilon engineering fraternity.
He was offered a position of International Sales Director upon graduating with his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in 1968. Throughout his scholastic career, he gravitated toward sports that were ‘just a matter of physics and geometry’ – lettering in bowling, excelling at diving, golfing, and billiards. While on a double date with mutual friends, Richard met the love of his life, Elizabeth “Betsy” Ann Paetzold.
They married in Aurora, Illinois on June 27, 1968. Soon after, the couple moved to North Glen, Colorado, where they started a family, accepted Christ and were ordained by Pastor Dean Wall of Abundant Life Church. He received his theology degree through Rhema Bible Training College.
Pastor Rick’s career had him on the road often, traveling to all fifty of the United States and over ninety countries. He even experienced life behind the iron curtain, notably traveling to Moscow during the cold war era. A series of promotions at work brought the family back to Chicago and in 1979, as the trade embargo with China was lifted, Pastor Rick was one of the first businessmen to travel there.
In 1980, Pastors Rick and Betsy founded Agape Family Church and World Outreach Center in Wood Dale, Illinois. Ministering the knowledge of God’s love to the families of the world, according to Mark 16: 15-18 was their vision and as the Agape Vision chorus played true, “This is Our Vision, This is Our Goal… Reaching the families and making them whole. Healing the sick ones, loosing the oppressed, meeting their needs, giving God’s Best!
” Pastors Rick and Betsy dedicated every day of their lives to seeing this vision come to pass, both at home and abroad. They were pillars in Wood Dale and surrounding communities, taking several homeless into their own home, caring for sick and elderly and being an outreach re for the local police department. During the school year, Pastor Rick could be found in the classroom filling in as a substitute teacher or on the sidelines cheering for, not only his own children, but everyone else’s.
He made sure that the special needs kids felt truly special as he volunteered for the Special Olympics and drove their bus to and from school. Pastor Rick poured out his love into the lives of children at every opportunity. It was his continued travel to China, however, that led Pastor Rick to his life’s greatest love and ministry.
He was in China during the tumult of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. The first-hand accounts of the students who were involved were shared far and wide to ensure they would not be suppressed as the Chinese government often did. On subsequent trips to Beijing, he was able to impart the significance of the event to his children, pointing out bullet holes in the side of the hotel where he watched the onset of the massacre.
Despite the formidable political climates in countries he visited, nothing could prevent Rick from fulfilling his calling of bringing the Word of Christ to those who otherwise would not be given the opportunity to know HIS LOVE. In China, he and Pastor Betsy focused on underground churches, often supplying ministry supplies and western treats they missed from home. Through the church he was able to support missionaries in South Africa, Jakarta, Costa Rica and many other countries and organizations like Harvest Now.
One hundred and nine trips to China over the span of his career in the international sales and marketing field enabled him and Betsy, to become involved in China missions and minister to Chinese orphans. Each of their children have been to China with them, at least once and two of those trips were “gotcha” trips where they finalized the adoption of three Chinese baby girls. During their travel to the interior of the continent, they encountered many young Chinese children with bleak futures – often orphaned, disabled or otherwise disadvantaged.
Their hearts were touched by these special little ones and the missionaries who were devoting their lives to them. Pastor Rick was instrumental in locating res and donors to pay for corrective surgeries for cleft palates and other deformities for Chinese orphans, advocating when necessary for trips to Shriner’s Children’s Hospital for surgery and recovery. He was a board member of the Agape Family Life House foster home in Langfang China and actively worked with the founders Keith and Cheryl Wyse, to administrate operations and fundraising stateside.
In that capacity he worked closely with Dr. Peter Smith of Shriner’s to visit and train local Chinese doctors, so they would know how to perform necessary surgeries in country for children with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (Brittle Bone disease). Pastor Rick and Keith Wyse were instrumental in the establishment of a special bone hospital in Beijing. He was also a board member for America World Adoption, helping twelve families navigate the international adoption process and bring home a precious little one.
In 2004, Pastor Betsy received her Heavenly Crown of Victory and Pastor Rick found himself heartbroken but determined to carry on in her honor. Soon after, he gathered several area pastors together for Tuesday Pastor’s Prayer, some he knew better than others, but quickly, unshakeable bonds formed. Pastor Rick not only provided spiritual guidance, but became a friend, mentor and role model to those who knew him.
The pastors in this group knew the bond of friendship well and the love between them is palpable. On July 9, 2006, Pastor Rick married Esther Zhang in a small ceremony at the Great Wall of China and in her he found a new ministry partner and support for the three young girls he was raising. During the twelve years he and Esther were together, they continued the church outreach, traveled extensively and enjoyed various pastimes like hiking.
Esther kept her husband in her continuous and fervent prayer. Although his calling as a Father, Pastor, Missionary and Friend occupied much of his time, he enjoyed fishing, creating stained glass art, telling truly stupid jokes and being so silly in public that his children wanted to hide. He loved to play Frank Sinatra for his daughters and even wrote poetry on very special occasions.
Carrying on the Bullis legacy are the Bullis’ amazing children and grandchildren: their son Rick, Jr (Dawn) and their children Lindsey, Cody, Dylan, Wesley, Taylor and Braylen; their daughter Jennifer Kress (Scott) and their children Jonathon (Hernandez), Alexander and Aidan; their son Jeremy (Anna) and their son Ivan; their daughter Hope McDonald (Jason) and their daughter Elizabeth Rose; their son Benjamin (Hana) and their son Troy; their daughter Nicole (Cosio) and her daughter Annabella; their daughter Hadassah Brand (Corey); and their “Three China Dolls” – Faith, Charity and Joyeaux. Richard will be warmly remembered and greatly missed by his cousin Donald Grimwood and especially his wife, Esther Zhang. “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants”.
Psalms 116:15 Pastor Rick’s life as a “Father, Pastor, Missionary and Friend” will be celebrated at a memorial service with Pastor Tim Roames of Good News Christian Center of Des Plaines, Illinois officiating. The service will be held at Jubilee Bible Church (900 Foster Avenue, Medinah, Illinois 60157) on Saturday, March 2, 2019 at 2 pm. Doors will open at 1:30 pm.
There will be no visitation prior to the service. Since his passing, many have shared stories of their experiences with Pastor Rick through various channels. The family highly appreciates you taking the time to add yours here so they may easily compile them.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider supporting the college tuition of the Bullis family’s Three China Dolls. A gofundme has been created for this purpose. www.
gofundme.com/support-for-pastor-bullis039-3-china-dolls-college If flowers will be delivered, the church has requested the following delivery window Friday, March 1 from 9 am-5 pm and Saturday, March 2 from 12 pm – 1 pm. Funeral care provided by G.L. Hills Funeral Home in Des Plaines, Illinois.
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