Greenwich has lost a sturdy and steadfast pillar of its community. Lloyd Hull, a gentleman’s gentleman and dedicated patriot, passed away last weekend at the age of 95. His was a life fully lived.
Much has been written about Lloyd in this paper and others. He was an understated hero of World War II, joining the United States Navy after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, in 1943. He remarkably fought in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters of war, on the destroyer, the USS Laffey.
The action that Lloyd saw during the war must have been horrific, to put it mildly. His vessel, the USS Laffey, was nicknamed, “The Ship That Would Not Die.” She, and Lloyd, were present during the D-Day invasion of France and the Battle of Okinawa, in the Pacific. The destroyer successfully withstood numerous assaults by conventional bombers and the most unrelenting kamikaze air attacks ever witnessed in World War II.
From the ravages of war, emerged one of the nicest men we have ever had the pleasure to know. While he received numerous well-deserved commendations and awards for his wartime service, he was of the generation that took no pleasure in placing its actions above others’. His modesty was a hallmark of his life, matched equally by his sense of duty and patriotism.
After the war and law school, Lloyd met the love of his life, Mary Gutfreund, and they were married in 1957. The following year, they moved to Greenwich and our community became the beneficiary of their involvement in our town. In addition to practicing law up until the final years of his life, Lloyd was devoted to his town and was passionate about giving back. He spent decades on the Representative Town Meeting, the Round Hill Association and the Republican Town Committee. For more than 30 years, his warm smile welcomed attendees to the Round Hill Community Church.
In the 60 years Lloyd lived in town, there were few organizations, or people for that matter, that did not benefit from his desire to give back to the community. Lloyd lived his entire life with a moral compass so strong and sense of civic duty so deep that others strove to emulate him. You never came away from an interaction with Lloyd without a new insight, a joke and a firm handshake, while he looked you directly in the eye.
When someone of Lloyd’s passion and commitment to our community departs, we often marvel at what we have learned from that person’s life. How can we grow new pillars? Who will rise up to take a great gentleman’s place? It cannot be left to just one person. That mantle is too broad. It is up to all of us to fill that void. And surely, we must. We do it not just to honor Lloyd, his memory and all that he believed, but also because it is the right thing to do. Let his legacy inspire the rest of us.
Our thoughts, prayers and love go out to Lloyd’s wife, Mary, and their children, Lisa, Victoria and Robert, their spouses and nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
CORRECTIONS:
Last week’s editorial, about philanthropy, discussed Tod’s Point and The Friends of Greenwich Point. We missed the opportunity to also highlight the Greenwich Point Conservancy, a very active stewardship organization at Greenwich Point. Over the past 15 years, they have raised millions of dollars through their annual BEACH BALL and other fundraising efforts, all of which have been invested in the restoration and preservation of the historical elements at Tod’s Point. We thank them for their efforts and wish them continued success!
