Burl was born one mile west of Flay, a cross road in western Lincoln County, NC to Ralph Clifton Hull and
Mary Eva Peeler Hull.
Burl graduated from North Brook High School in Lincoln County. He also graduated from Brevard College
and Wake Forest University. He served in the US Army and was stationed at Fort Jackson in Columbia,
SC. There he met his true love, Mary Ellen Henley, who was a senior at the University of South Carolina.
After they married in 1965, they moved to Greensboro,NC. where Burl was a sales representative for
Parke-Davis (now Pfizer) until he retired in 1995.
He is predeceased in death by his beloved wife, Mary Ellen Henley Hull, his parents and siblings (Roger
Peeler, Ruth Hull Plyler, John Hull and Al Hull), and his infant son, John Clifton Hull. He is survived by his
daughters, Mary Ellen (Emmy) Biaggi (husband Reto) and Julie Linkous (husband John) and his
grandchildren, Chloe Linkous (Caleb Doyon), Claire Biaggi, Jacob Linkous and Alex Biaggi (fiance Katie
Hoffman). He is also survived by many beloved nieces and nephews.
Burl and Mary Ellen loved to discover the world together. They made their first trip to Europe in 1987 and
fell in love with it, especially Italy. They also visited China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Russia, South America,
Africa, India, Bhutan, Egypt and Australia. After their visit to China, Mary Ellen flew home and Burl took
the Trans Siberian train by himself from Beijing to Moscow. In 2015, Burl took his two grandsons, Jake
and Alex on a 7-day float trip down the Colorado river through the Grand Canyon when the boys were 15
and 14. Burl was 74. He never let fear or age stop him from making memories.
Burl delighted in meeting new people, hearing their stories and sharing a good meal together. Whether he
was at home or abroad, you would often find him at a table, surrounded by friends with a drink in hand.
The conversation would be peppered with a little teasing and a lot of laughter. This was his happy place.
He found joy in his family - both blood and chosen. He loved those around him fiercely and they loved him
back in that same way. His was not a life without trials and tribulations, but he never lost sight of what
mattered most - family. But his definition of family was wide - his immediate family, extended family,
lifelong friends, his grandchildren’s friends, his church family, his River Landing friends. Burl knitted a
wide and strong circle of love and we are grateful for his example. Even in his very last hours, he found
moments of joy and reasons to smile. His life was a lesson in love and living joyfully.
Burl was an active member at Guilford Park Presbyterian church and served as a Sunday school teacher,
an elder, youth advisor and was part of Stephen Ministry. He was a docent for about 20 years at the
Greensboro History Museum. Burl was a guardian ad litem for several years and he donated platelets
faithfully until heart surgery in 2017.
Burl’s family would like to thank the amazing staff at River Landing for the love, friendship and care they
gave to Burl. A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, June 7, 2025 at 1:00 pm at Guilford Park
Presbyterian Church in Greensboro.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Guilford Park Presbyterian Church,
Greensboro Urban Ministry or the Greensboro History Museum.
