Lester Norman Hull

Lester was born in Hartford, Connecticut, to Mary Garlington and Halsted Hull. Following early schooling in Hartford, Les attended Mt. Herman prep school in Northfield, MA. In 1940, he enrolled in the University of Connecticut, where he met and fell in love with Mary Meegan, the beginning of their enduring love. But their path together was diverted by the War. Les entered the U.S. Army in March, 1942. He was assigned to the 976th Field Artillery, and served overseas for 26 months in Africa, Italy, France, Belgium, Austria and Germany. Discharged at the end of the war with the rank of Corporal, Les returned to U Conn to finish his studies. He and Mary married in 1946. In 1948, after graduation he went to work for The Phoenix of Hartford Insurance Co. Transferred to Oklahoma City in 1949, Les worked his way up the ladder, and by 1956 became Manager of Phoenix in Oklahoma City. In 1963, he joined the Whittington Agency as partner, where he worked for the next twenty years until 1983, when he and partners established their own agency. Les was an active member and held leadership positions in several civic organizations, including The National Exchange Club, Blue Goose International, the Camp Fire Girls Board, and as a Cub Scout volunteer. Les loved his work — he often joked that he couldn't wait for Monday mornings so he could go back to work. Les continued to work as a successful independent insurance agent until he retired in 2011, at the age of 91. Preceded in death by his sister Evelyn Bishop, his brother Richard Hull (Claire), and his niece Jean Carroll, Les is survived by his wife Mary, and four children and their families: Mary Ann Travis (John) of New Orleans, LA, and their children Sarah of Austin, TX, Iris (Mike Welch) of Madison, WI, and Tricia of Los Angeles, CA; Leslie Van Pelt (Paige Pinnell) of Santa Fe and her children Whitney of Santa Barbara, CA, and Meegan (Levant Kenney) of Redondo Beach, CA; Nancy Bauske (Mark) of Okla. City and their children Matthew (Nicole) of Okla. City, Rachel (Chance Frasure) of Durango, CO, and Catherine of New Orleans, LA; and Richard Hull (Madeline Nusser) of Chicago, IL; eight great grandchildren — Cecilia and Alice Bauske, Nuh and Aminah Abdur-Rahman, Adeline and Kieran Welch, Ella and Aleena Kenney— and beloved nieces and nephews Marilyn Skelley, Donald Bishop, Sherman Bishop and Joan Burlingame. In his younger days Les loved working in his yard, and could be seen every weekend basking in the Oklahoma sun. Les will be remembered as a loving uncle, father and husband who took his own path unencumbered by convention or the opinions of those around him (to the delight of his grandchildren). He did things his way. The family is grateful to his caring and dedicated caregivers Diane Dunbar and Patsy Rogers and also the wonderful neighbors who watched over Mary and Les all these years. A veteran of World War II, insurance agent for 63 years, devoted husband to Mary for 71 years, caring father and grandfather, Les will be greatly missed by his family and friends. His wisdom and good humor will not soon be forgotten. Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 29th at Resurrection Memorial Cemetery Chapel.