Jean (Cheston) Bullard

JEAN CHESTON BULLARD

Jean Cheston Bullard, of South Pittsburg, Tennessee, died Thursday, August 28, 2025, after a long rich life filled with love and devotion to her family and friends.  Jean was born on February 2, 1945, in Silver Spring, Maryland to John Finley Cheston and Miriam Moreland Cheston.  Upon her graduation from high school, she headed south to attend the University of Tennessee Chattanooga.  While there and volunteering to care for and teach developmentally disabled children at Orange Grove Center, she met her future best friend and love of her life, Stephen Ashton Bullard, Sr., with whom she shared the next 56 years of her life in marriage.  In 1968, Jean and Steve Eloped to Mexico by driving Jean’s convertible 1963 Austin-Healey 3000 from Chattanooga throughout Mexico (both coasts), an adventure that predicted their exciting journey together over the next one-half century.  Jean was a truly funny person with a fantastic sense of humor and who always brought smiles and laughter to a room.  Jean was also a naturally and deeply talented artist and perpetually creative person who made the spaces around her beautiful with her passionate work in painting, landscaping, architecture and woodworking like her father. 

She is survived by her husband Steve, her sister, Kathy Young (Woody) of North Beach, Maryland; her children, Stephen Ashton Bullard, Jr. (Haley) of Walnut Hill, Alabama, and Finley Bullard Evans (Neal) of Sterrett, Alabama; grandchildren, Maxwell Finley Evans of St. Louis, Missouri, Harry Ashton Evans, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama; as well as her nieces, Amy McGrath (Chris) and Julie Kleb (Dave).

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Tate Funeral Home, 950 Mel Dixon Lane, Jasper, Tennessee 37347, 423-942-9500.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.tatefh.com.

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