Eli Watson Tullis

Eli W. Tullis, a lifelong New Orleanian, cotton trader, philanthropist, and champion athlete, died peacefully at home on Tuesday, September 30, the day before his 97th birthday, surrounded by his wife and three sons. He was born in New Orleans on October 1, 1928, to Garner H. Tullis and Mary Lee Brown Tullis.

Eli graduated from Woodberry Forest School, an institution that molded his character and shaped his future. He was always grateful for the mentorship of Woodberry’s Headmaster, J. Carter Walker, and for the role competitive sports played in nurturing his discipline and drive. He then attended and graduated from the University of Virginia, where he loved every aspect of student life, including membership in Saint Anthony’s Hall, his tennis teammates, poker games and intramural sports. Eli’s years in Virginia created a firm belief that investing in education was the most effective way to impact the world. In keeping with that conviction, he became a founder of the Jefferson Scholars Program at UVA, which he generously supported, and he endowed scholarships at both his alma maters.

Eli was a cotton man, by birth and training – and by decades of success as a trader. Starting as a clerk in New Orleans back in the 1950s for his father, Eli became a legendary player on the New York Cotton Exchange, trading for his clients as well as himself. Whether working on behalf of his clients or trading for himself, Eli was known for his integrity, his tenacity, and his unwavering loyalty – qualities that defined both his professional life and his enduring friendships.

In New Orleans he was an active member of the Rex organization for his entire adult life. Eli reigned as King of Carnival in 1997, one of his most treasured honors.

His love of tennis – nurtured in college – carried into adulthood, where he won four consecutive Louisiana state championships in doubles before discovering golf, which became a lifelong passion. Over his life, he became a fine amateur golfer and touched many with his love of the game. He was deeply committed to his memberships in the New Orleans Country Club, Seminole Golf Club, Gulfstream Golf Club, and the United States Seniors Golf Association, where he competed successfully for decades. As one of his close friends said, “Eli was one of the great competitors in all aspects of life.”

He was preceded in death by his wife of 48 years, Deborah Beaird Tullis. He is survived by his wife, Judith T. Tullis, and by six children, nineteen grandchildren, fifteen great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. He had four children in his first marriage (to Mary Ferrell): Molly Tullis Yoder (Joseph) and their children Ruffin Chevaleau (Rob), Cassady (Juan Urista), and Mahon; Eli Watson Tullis, Jr. (Taylor) and their children, Liza Avery (Sean) and Eli Watson, III (Tina); Garner Hugh Tullis II (Mary) and their children, Gretchen Cannon (Kyle), Molly, Marilee (Stephen), Jane, and Rachael; Wesley L.F. Tullis (Sandi) and their children, Sarah Larsen (Stephen), Anna, Wesley (Sophie), Mary Andrews (Tyler), Isaac (Elizabeth), and Daniel Eli. He had two children with Deborah Beaird Tullis: D. Ashbrooke Tullis and Rachael Tullis Gambel (Christian) and their children Grace, Tullis, and Jane.

Eli and Judy married in 2016 and over the last decade he was loved and cared for by Judy and her family, including his stepchildren Michael W. Helms (deceased), Stephen W. Helms (Kathy) and their children Hayden and Emma.

Eli Watson Tullis lived a rich and generous life. He was a great storyteller to children, a fantastic dancer, and a formidable competitor – whether as a tennis champion, a world class golfer, or a cotton trader. As one friend said, “He was a lion of a man.”

Eli’s legacy is measured by his many loves, his generous spirit, and so many rich experiences he helped to create with his wonderful friends.

We love him dearly. His memory will be treasured by all who knew him.

Services will be private.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that gifts be made in Eli’s memory to the Jefferson Scholars Program at the University of Virginia.