B. David Dull of Southampton died at home, under hospice care, on April 20, 2019. He was 82.
Born on April 1, 1937, in Southampton to Bruno Andrew Dull, who worked for the Town of Southampton’s Highway Department, and Helen Adamkowski Dull, who was a nurse at Southampton Hospital, he was valedictorian of his class at Southampton High School in 1955 and received a full scholarship to attend Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh for both his undergraduate and his master’s degrees. In 1962, he married Margaret Rose Spock and had one daughter.
The couple purchased a small summer house—summer home in the truest sense, screens, but no windows—in 1965, and kept it as a summer/weekend home before making it their retirement home, having done many renovations and additions over the years.
Mr. Dull worked as a senior executive for Exxon Corporation for his entire career in New York, London, and Dallas, with extensive travel in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America, but always maintained a home in Southampton. He retired early, at 55, and was a member of the Southampton Golf Club for more than 50 years, and of Walton Heath Golf Club in England.
He believed strongly in giving back to those institutions that had meant so much to him throughout his life, donating time and money during his retirement. He was a devout Catholic, from his childhood as an altar boy at Our Lady of Poland Church, through to his role as a church trustee until his death. He was one of the major contributors to the funding needed for the major renovation and restoration of the church in 2008, at a time when many Catholic churches were struggling for funding.
For Southampton High School, Mr. Dull funded state-of-the-art science equipment for the science department in 2013, the single largest gift ever received by the school, allowing the school to purchase an electron microscope, among other science equipment. Survivors said that Mr. Dull attributed much of his success to the support and encouragement he got from his teachers at the school.
Most recently, he established a fellowship at the Tepper Business School at Carnegie Mellon, the B. David Dull Endowment Fellowship.
Mr. Dull is survived by his daughter, Nancy. He was predeceased by his wife, Margaret.
Visitation will take place on Friday, April 26, from 4 to 6 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at O’Connell-Rothwell Funeral Home in Southampton. A funeral service will be held at Our Lady of Poland Church on Saturday, April 27, at 10 a.m.
Memorial donations may be made to Our Lady of Poland Church. Condolence notes may be sent to Box 2928, Southampton, NY 11969.
on Apr 22, 2019