David Pershing Hull, who was a successful stockbroker, pilot, actor and author, closed the final chapter of his storied life July 26. He had recently celebrated his 101st birthday, but died peacefully after a short illness.
David and his wife Diana, who passed away in 2017, made Santa Barbara their home for 40 years after retiring here from Houston, Texas. They were married for almost 50 years and were very active in the community. David had a lot in common with other centenarians who believe that 100 is just a number. He kept going right to the end of his very successful career
and life.
Luck played a part too. David, who was a Navy fighter pilot in World War II, survived a Japanese Kamikaze attack on his aircraft carrier that cost the lives of 92 sailors and seriously wounded another 97 men. Their companion carrier, Franklin, lost 724 lives in this attack. He flew 145 missions off the Belleau Wood and his group was credited with downing 43 Japanese aircraft. David left active duty in 1945, but retired as a captain in the Naval Reserve in 1965.
After the war ended, David enrolled in the Masters program at Stanford University and he received his MBA in finance. Soon after that he went to work for Merrill Lynch in Houston where he became a vice president and branch manager. He was a member of the Chairman’s club and received many awards at Merrill. He retired 33 years later.
David was one of four children born in Newcastle, Texas to Maggie Field and Alexander Holiday Hull. His sister, Georgia, and brothers James and Teddy, predeceased him. He had four children and three survived him — David Stanley Hull of Hawthorne, Holiday Hull Cowan of Dripping Springs, TX., and Margaret Hull Wright of Austin, TX. Son, Bennett Goddard Hull, predeceased Mr. Hull. He has five grandchildren. They are Carina Cowan Fitzpatrick of Round Rock, TX., Bennett Hull Cowan of Dripping Springs, TX., Carrie Wright of Chicago, IL., Travis Hull Wright and Daniel Hull Wright of Austin, TX. He has one great grandchild — Fiona Fitzpatrick of Round Rock, TX.
He is also survived by step daughter, Marcy Burton, of Santa Barbara and son-in-law Gary Strom, step daughter Allison Boomer and son-in-law George Boomer of Corvallis, OR., and their two sons Max Boomer of Seattle, WA., and Andrew Boomer of Portland, OR.
Before joining the Navy David attended Hardin-Simmons, a small private Baptist university in Abilene, TX. He was the senior class valedictorian for his high school in Newcastle, TX.
When he retired from Merrill Lynch David and his wife, Diana, decided to move to Santa Barbara. Although he stopped flying his Cessna airplane Mr. Hull took up some new hobbies; acting and writing. He had parts in several plays here in Santa Barbara and had a small part in a 1990 movie, The Two Jakes, starring Jack Nicholson. Later in 2008 after several years of work, he published a fiction novel, Prairie Crossing, about a child prodigy in the high plains of Texas in the 1880’s.
He was a long time member of Birnam Wood Country Club and loved playing tennis and golf there. He was also a very active master bridge player.
No service is planned, but the family would welcome your donations to Sarah House.
