Thomas Elwood Lull

It is with great sadness that the family of Thomas Elwood Lull, LCDR USN Ret., announce his passing on Sunday, May 22, 2022, at his home in Crozet, Virginia.

Born in 1941 in Olean, NY, Tom spent much of his youth living with his grandparents, the late Reverend H.P. and Laura Lee Thomas, in Sugar Grove, PA. In 1959, he graduated from the Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, PA before attending the US Naval Academy–Annapolis. Initially, his passion was submarines, but instead he became a naval aviator at the US Naval School, Pre-Flight Cadet Regiment in Pensacola, FL.

LCDR Lull served his country honorably for 20 years, retiring from the Navy in 1984. During those years as an aviator, he had three deployments in Vietnam, flying over 200 missions as a combat pilot, making 363 day and 100 night landings aboard the USS Oriskany and the USS Coral Sea. He flew numerous aircraft, primarily the A-1 Skyraider, the A-7 Corsair and the F-9 Cougar. He was also attached to Advanced Training Squadron VT-23 in Lemore, CA as an Advanced Flight Leader Instructor and later served as Director, Apprentice Training Department of Recruit Training Command, Naval Station Great Lakes. He was awarded many commendations for dedicated service to his country, among them the Distinguished Flying Cross, given for heroism or extraordinary achievement while engaged in aerial combat, and the Naval Achievement Medal for outstanding and meritorious service.

Tom’s experience in the Navy played an important role in his and his family’s life. He met his wife of 52 years, Nelda Lull, née Guerra, while an ensign stationed at Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi, TX. Tom and Nel raised their three children at various NAS stations in Texas, California, Washington, Illinois, Virginia, and Sicily. He finished his undergraduate degree in aeronautical engineering at the NAVAL Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA in 1975. After his retirement from active service, he was accepted into UVA Darden School of Business. Building on the experience he gained in the Navy, Tom went on to work for the National Ground Intelligence Center in Charlottesville, VA as a weapons analyst for 20 years. And after his second retirement, he volunteered as a driver for the Lake Monticello Fire and Rescue Squad, demonstrating again his belief in the importance of service and investing in a cause larger than himself.

He will be remembered for his generous hospitality: he loved a full house of family, friends, and strangers–a stranger, he believed, is just a friend you haven't met yet, for his love of music and the C.S. Forester Horatio Hornblower series, for teaching his youngest granddaughters to play chess and the older ones to drive, for peeling apples in a single curl, for him saying “humbug” and always asking “what’s new and wonderful?” Together, he and Nelda established many wonderful family traditions that will live on.

He is survived by his daughter, Laura and son-in-law, John; his son, Thomas Michael and daughter-in-law, Rosalyn; and his son Ted. He has five granddaughters: Tori, Jordan, Eleanor, Beatrice and Piper, and four great-grandchildren. He is survived by his sister, Connie Norton; and brothers Richard Lull and Terry Lull. He is preceded in death by his loving wife, Nelda, and his parents, Frances Lee and Edward Earle Lull.

In accordance with Tom’s wishes, he will be cremated and interred this summer with a graveside service and Honor Guard at the family plot in Rapidan, VA. In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution in his name to the Wounded Warrior Project or The Fisher House Foundation.