Harry was born is Louisville, Kentucky on January 27, 1936 to Margaret Lucile Robinson and Harry T. Tully, Sr. He had an idyllic early childhood despite its being during World War II and routine quarantining was required for a couple of summers because of the polio epidemic. When Harry was about nine, much to his delight, a brother named Terry Alan was born.
After a great high school experience, Harry graduated from Atherton High School in Louisville in 1953. Besides holding various offices, being active in two sports, belonging to the Delphic Literary Society, he won the Harvard Book Club Award for best student/athlete his junior year. Subsequently, Harry spent three years studying Pre-Med at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA. Perhaps he enjoyed the experience a little too much because of belonging to Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. Nonetheless, he was selected to attend the Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, NC.
During his freshman year he met and married Mary Nell Sillmon of Pleasant Garden, NC. Following graduation in June, 1960, Harry interned for a year at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI. The Air Force drafted him in September, 1961, and sent him to Brooks Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX for three months flight surgery training. Harry spent the balance of his active duty as a captain at the 600 bed Travis Air Force Base Hospital doing family practice, anesthesiology (including Acting Chief of Anesthesia for six months), and intensive care. Upon discharge in 1963, he finished his residency in Anesthesiology at the University of California San Francisco, and moved to Redding, CA.
Mary Nell and Harry adopted Debra Leigh, at two weeks old on his birthday in 1966. He always said she was the best birthday present he ever got. Three years later they were happily blessed by the unexpected appearance of Sharon Lynne. Later, after an unfortunate divorce, Harry married Lynne Williams, a third generation native of Redding in 1970. Harry adopted Terri Lynn Schultz, Lynne’s only daughter.
Lynne and Harry both became very involved in the community. Lynne worked with the Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and served as president. She also hosted a fund raising luncheon for Governor Ronald Regan which Nancy attended. Harry was president of the Shasta-Trinity County Medical Society; Chief of Staff, Chief of Anesthesia, and co-founder of the Inhalation Therapy Department at Memorial Hospital in Redding. He was on the staff of four local hospitals and was a Clinical Professor of Anesthesia for two years at the University of CA at Davis, Sacramento. Harry was a member of the Masonic Reading Lodge 254, Redding Moose Lodge, and Elks #1073.
In 1976, while still residing in Redding, for financial reasons Harry moved his practice to San Leandro, CA. Around this time Lynne’s son, Gordon Buck, came to live with them in Redding. In August 1978, the entire family moved to San Leandro. Harry and Lynne invested in a surgery center there. In 1985 Harry was forced to retire because of Rheumatoid Arthritis.
In 1993 Harry and Lynne moved back to Redding to be near family and old friends. Together they enjoyed a boat house and activities at the Shasta Lake Yacht Club. They also enjoyed motor homing with the Elks RV Club and subsequently, the Trail Duster’s RV Club.
In 2003, Harry served on the Shasta County Grand Jury for the first of five terms over the next ten years. He was foreperson 2004-2005. He was also active in the Shasta County Grand Juror’s Association, serving as President and in several other capacities.
Lynne died in 2010 after a marriage of 40 years, leaving Harry very lost and lonely. He joined Sons in Retirement, Branch 129, and served as BIG SIR in 2015. For quite a while he searched for a suitable partner and companion for the rest of his life. He met Kathryn M. Lang (Katie) while she was serving on the 2014-2015 Grand Jury, and they were married July 17th, 2015. Katie and Harry enjoyed traveling, cultural events, and having great fun with friends and family.
Harry was predeceased by his parents, two wives and his brother.
Surviving are: wife Kathryn Holmes Tully, daughters Terri Puryear (Steven), Debra Clark (Jon, grandchildren, Jonathan and Maddie), and Sharon Saunders (Dean, granddaughters, Alyson and Haley), and stepson, Gordon Buck (Maureen, grandchildren, Josh and Chelsea Buck).
Inurnment has taken place at Northern California Veterans Cemetery, Igo, CA. A reception will be held at the Elks Lodge, Saturday, August 31 from 1-4 pm, 250 Elks Dr, Redding, CA 96001.
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