Robert (Bob) Tully was born in San Francisco on September 27, 1920 and died at his home on Orcas Island on June 23, 2009.

He attended public schools in San Francisco until his junior year of high school when he transferred to The Thacher School in Ojai, California. He then went to Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts as a member of the class of 1942.

Although he was in his senior year at Williams, he enlisted in the Army in January 1942. The Army sent him to the Signal Corps Officers Candidate School, and he spent most of the war years teaching at the Signal Corps Labs at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. He was in London briefly and experienced a buzz bombing of the hotel to which he was assigned and spent a brief time in France shortly after D-Day. He left the Army as a captain in 1946.

Bob then attended the Harvard Business School, getting his MBA in November 1947. It was after earning his MBA that Williams College decided that he had enough credits to graduate when he enlisted in the Army, so they granted him a BA degree. Bob claims to be the only man to receive his MBA degree before his BA.

After Harvard, Bob worked as a financial and personnel planner for Chevron in New Orleans. There he met and married Eleanor Edwards in 1951. In 1952 McKinsey and Company, a national management company, lured him to New York and then transferred him to Los Angeles in 1955. In 1959 he became vice president and director of a client, Marshall and Stevens.

After his wife died in 1970, Bob decided to go out on his own and became chief financial officer of several large companies. It was at one of those positions that he met and eventually married Carol Blaney in 1984. Although Bob wanted to work forever, Carol convinced him to retire in 1987. They moved permanently to Big Bear Lake, California where Bob became involved in many local organizations. He loved a good discussion on any topic, but insisted on learning the facts to support his thoughts.

Bob knew that Carol’s long-time dream was to live on Orcas Island in the San Juan Island, so in 1996 he insisted they move and start a new life there. He loved Orcas Island for all it has to offer.

Besides his wife, Carol, he leaves his daughters Mary Tully Gabrielson, Ann Tully and Alice Tully Pirtle and son, Arthur Tully; and step-sons Roger and Jeffrey Blaney; also grandchildren Leslie Gabrielson Geary, Alex Gabrielson, Bryan Pirtle, Laura Pirtle and step-grandsons Bryce and Evan Blaney.

A celebration of his life was held July 8, 2009 at Emmanuel Episcopal Parish on Orcas Island. Memorials may be made to the charity of your choice.

Submitted by Bob Tully’s family.