- 1
- 2
- next
- | single page
Helen Hull feeds her groom, Bob Hull, cake on their wedding day, Jan. 29, 1972. (Submitted photo) |
Robert “Bob” Hull was proud of his roots. He was the oldest of three sons born to Christine and Robert L. Hull.
“Bob was always very sentimental. All three were born in Keyser. That made him a West Virginian,” said Bob’s wife, Helen Hull of Hagerstown.
“Living there framed us for the rest of our life,” said middle brother Terrance “Terry” Hull of Hagerstown.
The family lived in Westernport, Md., until 1951, when they moved to Hamilton Park in Hagerstown, not far from North Hagerstown High School. Bob was 10, Terry was 8 and Randall “Randy” was an infant.
“We had a wonderful childhood together,” Terry said of growing up with Bob. “We were always together.”
The two rode bicycles and explored together. Their grandmother owned Midway Tavern, so they would stop by and let her treat them to burgers, fries and milkshakes, Terry said.
“Their mom raised these boys to be close,” Helen said.
Their father was a millworker, so money was tight. Terry remembers their mother giving each of the older boys a quarter, which covered the cost of a bus ride to a swimming pool, where they would spend the day swimming. With their leftover nickels, they would buy frozen Milky Ways.
As the family gathered photos for the funeral home, Terry’s son, Patrick Hull of Hagerstown, found a photo of his beloved uncle pulling a young Terry in a wagon.
“He’s been pulling my wagon 68 years,” Terry said. “Now, I have to pull myself.”
Bob graduated from North Hagerstown High School in 1959, then went to Hagerstown Junior College for two years.
After HCC, Bob continued his studies and earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Maryland in College Park.
Terry also went to the University of Maryland, and the brothers roomed together for Bob’s final year of college. Bob returned home in 1963 and worked at Acme Supermarket, where he had worked while in high school, while awaiting word on a job with the CIA as an analyst.
During that time, Bob joined the NAACP, concerned about civil rights and fair housing laws in Hagerstown, wrote youngest brother Randy of Houston in an email. He remembers joining Bob on a march.
“As his younger brother, I was so proud of his courage and his activism ... He was a role model to me for his willingness to take a position in which he believed,” Randy added.
Bob did receive a job offer, but President Kennedy was killed and President Johnson “froze” the federal budget, prompting the CIA to rescind the offer, Randy wrote.
Dick Yates, a Hagerstown friend and college roommate of Bob’s, had gotten a job with the Washington County Department of Social Services. He suggested Bob apply, which led to a 32-year career for Bob.
Bob’s first two years were spent working in Baltimore County, where he started as a caseworker, and the remainder in Washington County. He retired in 1996 as assistant director.
Bob and Helen met in December 1969 and dated a little more than two years before they got married on Jan. 29, 1972. They recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary.
“Bob was always very sentimental. All three were born in Keyser. That made him a West Virginian,” said Bob’s wife, Helen Hull of Hagerstown.
“Living there framed us for the rest of our life,” said middle brother Terrance “Terry” Hull of Hagerstown.
The family lived in Westernport, Md., until 1951, when they moved to Hamilton Park in Hagerstown, not far from North Hagerstown High School. Bob was 10, Terry was 8 and Randall “Randy” was an infant.
“We had a wonderful childhood together,” Terry said of growing up with Bob. “We were always together.”
The two rode bicycles and explored together. Their grandmother owned Midway Tavern, so they would stop by and let her treat them to burgers, fries and milkshakes, Terry said.
“Their mom raised these boys to be close,” Helen said.
Their father was a millworker, so money was tight. Terry remembers their mother giving each of the older boys a quarter, which covered the cost of a bus ride to a swimming pool, where they would spend the day swimming. With their leftover nickels, they would buy frozen Milky Ways.
As the family gathered photos for the funeral home, Terry’s son, Patrick Hull of Hagerstown, found a photo of his beloved uncle pulling a young Terry in a wagon.
“He’s been pulling my wagon 68 years,” Terry said. “Now, I have to pull myself.”
Bob graduated from North Hagerstown High School in 1959, then went to Hagerstown Junior College for two years.
After HCC, Bob continued his studies and earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Maryland in College Park.
Terry also went to the University of Maryland, and the brothers roomed together for Bob’s final year of college. Bob returned home in 1963 and worked at Acme Supermarket, where he had worked while in high school, while awaiting word on a job with the CIA as an analyst.
During that time, Bob joined the NAACP, concerned about civil rights and fair housing laws in Hagerstown, wrote youngest brother Randy of Houston in an email. He remembers joining Bob on a march.
“As his younger brother, I was so proud of his courage and his activism ... He was a role model to me for his willingness to take a position in which he believed,” Randy added.
Bob did receive a job offer, but President Kennedy was killed and President Johnson “froze” the federal budget, prompting the CIA to rescind the offer, Randy wrote.
Dick Yates, a Hagerstown friend and college roommate of Bob’s, had gotten a job with the Washington County Department of Social Services. He suggested Bob apply, which led to a 32-year career for Bob.
Bob’s first two years were spent working in Baltimore County, where he started as a caseworker, and the remainder in Washington County. He retired in 1996 as assistant director.
Bob and Helen met in December 1969 and dated a little more than two years before they got married on Jan. 29, 1972. They recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary.
