Larry Dale Hull, M.D., passed peacefully into eternal life Saturday, April 28, 2018, in San Antonio, Texas, with his loving wife of nearly 55 years, Aarlie, by his side.
He was born April 6, 1938, in Perryton, Texas, to Lee and Reeda (Collins) Hull. Born into a large extended family with deep roots in the Oklahoma-Texas “panhandle” region, he lived with his parents, his older sister, Roxie and his identical twin brother, Jerry, on farms in the area until 1943, when the family followed their many relatives who had fled the dust bowl for Oregon. Larry grew up on a farm outside Ontario, Ore., milking cows and tending crops, developing the dogged tenacity and strong work ethic that would serve him for the rest of his life.
After attending Ontario public schools through 10th grade, Larry transferred as a boarding student to College High School in Nampa, Idaho, for his final two years of high school. He was a stellar student and excelled in football, basketball and track. In 1956, he enrolled at Northwest Nazarene College, also in Nampa. Larry would be honored as Alumnus of the Year in 1984. In college, Larry dual majored in biology and zoology and competed four years in track and field. After graduating from NNC, he entered medical school at the University of Washington to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a physician.
While at UW, he started dating a Seattleite, Aarlie Olson, whom he had met while interning in a UW laboratory one summer during college. As an undergraduate student at UW, Aarlie married Larry in 1963.
He graduated from medical school in 1964, and the couple moved to Cooperstown, N.Y., for Larry’s internship. In Cooperstown, they welcomed a son, L. D., to the family. After completing his internship, Larry served three years of active duty as a Army medical officer in Newport News, Va., Salt Lake City, Utah, and Seattle, Wash. After an honorable discharge, Larry completed his residency in orthopedics at the University of Washington. In Seattle, Larry and Aarlie welcomed two daughters to their family, Heather and Amy.
Upon completing residency in 1973, Larry and Aarlie moved to Centralia, Wash., where Larry founded Washington Orthopaedic Center. Over the years, he was joined by several partners, starting with his college friend, Dr. George Harper in 1974, and Dr. Carl Birchard not long after. In his 35 years at WOC, Larry invested generously in his employees, whom he loved dearly. While at WOC, he went on dozens of mission trips to Nicaragua, Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago, El Salvador and Papua New Guinea. For his humanitarian work overseas, Larry received the Good Samaritan Award from the International Church of the Nazarene and the 2010 Humanitarian Award from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
During their years in Centralia, Larry and Aarlie welcomed two more children to the family, daughter, Bethany and son, Dean. He was a longtime member of the Centralia Church of the Nazarene, where he served on the board multiple times and organized many ministries. Larry was a fan of local sports and was proud of all the athletes, young and old, he was able to help through his orthopedic care. Larry was also a member of the Centralia Rotary Club and an avid runner and cyclist.
In the late 1990s, Larry and Aarlie became involved in a large coffee and tea plantation in Papua New Guinea, which they ultimately acquired. Splitting their time between the United States and Papua New Guinea, Larry and Aarlie spent the next two decades pouring their lives into their beloved Madan Coffee and Tea Plantation. At Madan, they built a medical clinic and birthing center that provide medical care and OB/GYN services to thousands. They also developed a women’s literacy program and spearheaded a Rotary project that brings potable water to tens of thousands. For their work in PNG, in 2013 Larry and Aarlie received the Evergreen Award, which recognizes individuals from Southwest Washington that make exemplary contributions to the world. He also dove into agriculture at the plantation, employing innovative organic farming techniques that turned Madan into one of the most recognized coffee estates in the South Pacific. The Hulls were adopted by the local Warike Tribe and “Dr. Larry” became a respected tribal elder.
In 2014, Larry and Aarlie moved to San Juan Island, home to a daughter and two grandchildren, where they spent three years, attending the Lutheran Church in the San Juans and the San Juan Island Rotary Club. In 2017, the couple moved to San Antonio, Texas, home of two of their children and several grandchildren, where Larry attended Coker United Methodist Church and the Rotary Club of San Antonio.
He will be remembered for his zest for life, creativity, passion, relentlessness, deep faith, loving spirit, unflagging optimism and the encouragement he never failed to lavish on those around him.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Lee and Reeda Hull; and sister, Roxie (Hull) Miller.
He is survived by his wife, Aarlie; daughters, Heather (Harvey) Hart, Amy Hull and Bethany (Beau) Somers; sons, L. D. (Elizabeth) Wood-Hull and Dean (Laura) Hull; brother, Jerry (Barbara) Hull; 11 grandchildren; dozens of nieces and nephews; and thousands of friends around the globe.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Na Wokabaut, the non-profit Larry and Aarlie established to improve the lives of the people of Papua New Guinea: http://www.nawokabaut.org/.
A memorial service will be announced at a later date.
