Caledonia Argus

Family remembers son, brother as eccentric and charming

Posted: 6/18/02

By Shannon McKinney
Argus News Reporter

Billy Bubbers, 20, left his family and friends with a lot of good memories.

He died early Monday morning, June 10, from injuries he sustained in a car accident.

Many memories revolve around his eccentric, very-likable personality.

His older sister Stephanie, 22, recalls, ìYou could be so mad at him, and, then, heíd make some face or some comment and youíd just bust out laughing.î

Family members laughed in agreement. His mother, Mary, said, ìHe tried to charm his way into everything. With those big, brown eyes, he could do it about anytime. If he couldnít make me laugh, he knew he was in big trouble.î

But Billy had never got into big trouble, unless it was for playing his drums too loud in the basement of the family home on Sunset Drive in Caledonia.

Younger brother Michael, 17, said Billy would play his drums so hard that after only a few months with a new set of graphite and alloy drumsticks, heíd have them broken. Michael plans to buy a few more pieces to complete Billyís drum set downstairs.

Billy often asked Michael to bring his guitar downstairs to jam with him.

Broken drumsticks make it easier to see why his dad, Gary, only let Billy play when he wasnít home.

Mary, however, still recalls how her husband used to play the drums too. ìHis father used to play on trash cans,î she said.

In addition to an interest in drums, Billy also shared the same birthday as his father, Gary, January 5. They were exactly 30 years apart.

Billy was also born on the day he was due. Mary jokes, ìI swear it was the first and last time that he was ever on time for everything.î

Star Wars and computer games

Billy often involved his family with his passion for computer games and the Star Wars movies.

Michael said, ìAny new game, heíd play it till he could beat it.î

Stephanie recalls, ìHe used to sit down and play Zelda for hours, midnight, 1 a.m. I was always kind of jealous because I could never do that.î

Billy tried to show his family how to play, but then eventually gave up on them. Mary smiles, ìHe couldnít put up with our video ineptitude.î

Michael remembers Billyís excitement about seeing the new Star Wars movie. ìHe came home and wanted to watch the first one. He was so upset because he just seen the new one and the tape broke.î

Mary remembers, ìHe said, ìThis one was a thousand times better than the other one.í î

Channel 19

Billy watched Star Wars opening night with co-workers at Channel 19, where he had worked since before he graduated from the Hokah Learning Center in 2000.

Billy went to Brown College for a few months after high school, but quit to apply to schools closer to home.

Channel 19 welcomed him back. Mary said, ìEverybody at 19 loved him.î

Stephanie remembers when Billy came home wearing 19 weatherman Dan Breedenís trench coat for prom. ìHe always wanted a trench coat.î

Michael said, ìHe said, ëThis trench coat has been on national TV.íî

Michael credits Billy for helping him get a job with the floor crew at Channel 19. Heís been there for two and-a-half months now.

Billy was also very particular about his wardrobe. ìShopping trips for him were always crazy. Heís a 34 waist and Iíd get a 36 and heíd say thatís way to small. He wore 38s and 40s,î said Stephanie.

ìHis crotch was always by his knees,î recalls Gary.

Billy would often wear three large shirts at one time.

Billy & Abby, a perfect pair

Billy had recently been accepted into RCTC (Rochester Community and Technical College) for a digital arts program with a specialization in music technology. He was planning to attend this fall with his girlfriend, Abby Bulman.

The two had been dating for six months and Bulman had actually given Billy the idea to attend RCTC because she was going there for social work.

Bulman graduated from Spring Grove High School this year and the two were often described as the perfect couple. Stephanie says, ìToo cute. Both were tall, skinny and dark-haired.î

Before the accident, Billy had talked about getting a Ford Mustang. Mary added, ìIt used to be my favorite car.î

The accident occurred in a restored 1965 white Mustang fastback. The back seats, where Billy and Travis were sitting were not equipped with seat belts as was the norm for a vehicle made in that year. Mary said, ìThe Bulman boys had been known for their Mustangs since they were in high school.î

Steven Bulman, 51, and his 13-year-old son, Travis, also died in the accident. Daughter Abby, who was in the front and wearing a seatbelt, survived.

Steve was driving when the car crossed the center line, drove into the ditch, and then overturned in a field. The accident occurred just east of the junction of highways 44 and 76 outside of Caledonia.

The Bubbers say for them it doesnít matter how the accident happened because it doesnít change the fact that Billy is gone. They do know that Steve had a reputation as a careful driver, especially when his kids were with him.

Gary, who works for the Houston County Sheriffís Office and Caledonia Police Department was dispatching for the sheriffís office the day the call came in for the accident. He immediately called Mary, who is co-director of the Caledonia Ambulance Service.

Mary said she knew Billy and Abby were out driving. When she went to the scene, she also helped out. ìYou dig in and do what you can. There was a lot to be done,î she said.

Stephanie works at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center as a medical assistant and empathizes with the challenge of working on four accident victims. ìI just passed my EMT test so Iím going to volunteer at the Caledonia ambulance,î she said.

Billy was well-liked

More than 800 people attended Billyís wake Tuesday evening, June 11, many of them friends of Billyís.

Mary said she thought the funeral Wednesday, June 12, was beautiful.

Stephanie said, ìItís just nice to see so many people there because it shows how much they care.î

She recalls what it was like being Billyís older sister. It used to annoy her that everywhere she went, people came up to her to ask how Billy was doing, but not ask how she was doing. They often thought she was younger than Billy.

Michael was also not known as Michael but as ìBillyís younger brother.î

Billy was an organ donor

Billy was an organ donor. Mary said, ìThat means his life will continue in somebody elseís.î

She said it may be awhile before they hear back from the organ bank on the status of how his organs were used.

Mary added, ìItís my plug for people to be an organ donor if that situation should ever arise.î

A memorial fund has been set up at Community First Bank in Caledonia for Billy Bubbers, the Steve Bulman family and for 19-year-old Ernie Engan, who died May 28 in a construction accident.

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