Charles Seymour Bullock Jr., Formerly Of East Hampton, Dies February 5

Charles Seymour Bullock Jr. of Palm Beach and formerly of New York City and East Hampton, died peacefully at home with his family on February 5. He was 89.

He was the son of the late Charles S. Bullock and Katherine Robinson of Cold Spring, New York. Born in 1932, he graduated from the Taft School in 1950 and Yale University in 1954. In June 1955, he married Susanne Barbour in New Vernon, New Jersey, who he had met while on a summer vacation job playing piano at Herb McCarthy’s Bowden Square in Southampton.

He served as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Artillery from 1955-1957 before moving with his wife to San Francisco to work for the Readers Digest Association and later joining John A. Vietor to become co-founder and associate publisher of San Francisco Magazine. During those years he and his wife added three children to their family, Charles III (Chip), Stanton Barbour (Tony), former East Hampton Town Supervisor, and Alicia Benedict (Lisa).

In 1968, Bullock and his family moved back to New York City, dividing their time between the city and East Hampton. In New York, he was named publisher of Where magazine and, with Dale Lang, was a co-founder of Media Networks Inc., a company that revolutionized magazine advertising. In 1976, Media Networks was bought by 3M and the company asked him to explore possibilities for a European market, leading to a magical few years for the couple in London and Paris.

In the early ’80s, Bullock moved back to East Hampton, where he joined Allan Schneider Associates Real Estate and later, together with Joseph Kazickas, Edward Petrie and Peter Turino, founded Dunemere Associates, which was later purchased by Brown, Harris, Stevens. He was closely involved with the East Hampton community, serving terms as a trustee of Guild Hall, chairman of the John Drew Theatre Committee, and a member of the board of trustees of the East Hampton Historical Society.

Bullock was a member of the Knickerbocker Club in New York, the Bath & Tennis Club in Palm Beach, and the Maidstone Club in East Hampton. What he enjoyed most in life were his family, friends, travel, entertaining, and music. He played a “New York cocktail style” piano and was a member of the Yale Graduates of ’54 Whiffenpoofs. After retiring from the “business world,” Bullock, always a devout fan of cabaret and the Great American Songbook, worked closely with KT Sullivan for the Mabel Mercer Foundation. He was chairman of the foundation’s board of trustees until his death. In his later years, he also enjoyed the warm climate and gentle lifestyle of Palm Beach, where he and his wife wintered for several years before making it their year-round home. Their living room featured two back-to-back pianos where musical friends often gathered around to play and sing.

He is survived by his wife, Sue; his sister Helen Be Porter; his sister-in-law, Kitty Sutro; his children Chip, Tony and Lisa; five grandchildren, Atticus Dow, Electra Dow, Gideon Dow Scott and her husband Kai Scott, Monty Bullock, Alexandra Bullock; and a great-granddaughter, Hallie Scott. He was predeceased by another sister, Charlotte Sandberg, his sister-in-law Joan Gray, and his daughter-in-law Renee Schilhab Bullock.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to the Mabel Mercer Foundation, 630 9th Ave, Suite 402, New York, NY 10036.