Ralph Hull dies
Hull-Oakes founder made hefty donations to various causes
The mid-valley lost one of its greatest philanthropists earlier this week when Ralph Hull died Tuesday at his home in Corvallis.
Hull, who started the Hull-Oakes Lumber Mill nearly 70 years ago, used the income the mill generated to donate to various causes around the Willamette Valley and beyond.
Perhaps the most prominent was his $1 million donation to Good Samaritan Hospital for its heart center. The hospital honored Hull by naming the facility the Ralph Hull Regional Heart Center, which officially opened earlier this month.
"The dedication day was a wonderful highlight for him," his wife, Wilma, said.
In 1995, he gave the hospital $1.3 million, the largest donation in the hospital's history.
Such acts were common for the man who worked until he was 84 years old and was the driving force behind the famous, steam-powered mill outside of Monroe. He often supported community causes and reached out to individuals just the same, such as taking visiting missionaries out for a good meal.
Though Ralph never discussed religion much or his belief in God, Wilma said her husband had a strong faith.
"He loved God and loved people," she said. "His religion was to serve people, and he did that in a humble, modest way."
"It really meant a lot that he could help the community like that," Wilma said of the heart center donation.
"I think it meant a lot for him to see his name on that, but he never would have asked for that, ever," Wilma said, adding that he would have given the money anyway. "He never asked to have his name on stuff."
While visiting Africa, he gave money to a school to help build a dormitory.
"He would not let them put his name on it unless the workers over there had their names above his," Wilma said.
In 1994, Hull donated $100,000 to the Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation to establish an endowment fund in Dr. John Erkkila's name. Hull asked that the endowment be named after Erkkila, a surgeon who had performed his hip replacement.
"Quite frankly, I thought it should have been the Hull Foundation," Erkkila said.
The foundation happened "out of the blue," Erkkila said. The men often had conversations about their interests.
"Somehow the conversation got around to helping individuals and maximizing their potential," said Erkkila, who would soon get a call from a hospital official relaying the message that Hull wanted to set up a foundation in Erkkila's name. "Frankly, I felt embarrassed and undeserving."
The foundation aims to enhance the health and human performance of people served by Samaritan Health Services hospitals.
"He really wanted to facilitate the pursuits of others," Erkkila said. "He was a generous man, generous to his community. I think he thought very carefully about the things he gave to."
Hull also contributed to the Bellfountain Christian Church to help it buy Bellfountain School last year.
He supported 4-H, too, his wife said, and could often be found during the fair auction in the front row bidding for animals. Hull would spend as much as $70,000 at the auction and give the profits from the animals back to 4-H. The kids enjoyed having him there, too, and would lobby for him to bid on their animals.
Hull gave in other ways, too. Every spring, Hull would go out into the forest and pick an orchid called a Lady Slipper, which grew on the forest floor.
"He would pick bouquets of those; he had a secret private orchid patch," Wilma said. "He would take those to his favorite people, to someone he especially wanted to give them to."
He also took care of a first-grade teacher he had, Wilma said. Ralph became a lifelong friend with Nel Cyrus, who taught at Bellfountain School. He provided for her through her retirement until the day she died.
"He always was so completely loyal to people," Wilma said.
His Hull-Oakes Lumber Co., which is north of Monroe and 6 miles west of Oregon Highway 99W, is the last operating big timber, steam-powered sawmill in the Pacific Northwest - and possibly the nation.
The National Parks Service has compiled a history of the mill. The drawings, written history and photographs of the Hull-Oakes mill are preserved in the Library of Congress with stories of other industrial and engineering achievements from America's past.
Hull was born on a ranch near Bellfountain and leased a few other mills before starting the Hull-Oakes company. A few years ago, the mill was placed on the National Historic Register.
Hull regularly could be found wearing overalls, logging boots and a suit coat when he worked. He carried his office in his coat, his wife said.
He wasn't extravagant, she added. He would buy a new pickup truck to replace an old one, but it didn't look new for long.
"After a week, it looked like it had been through a war zone," Wilma said. Hull's driving was legendary among family members, especially on roads through the forest.
"He would just be going lickety split through there and would go 'I know there's a road through here,' " Wilma said. "He always said he never got stuck; it just took a longer time to get out."
Other local residents knew well of Hull's philanthropy.
"Certainly his generosity has left a lasting legacy," said Julie Manning, Good Samaritan Hospital spokeswoman. Though the heart center is a visible symbol of that, she said his work with the Erkkila Foundation reaches out to many people.
"It really is remarkable that one person could really have such a lasting impact, and we certainly are really grateful for that," she said.
He also enjoyed showing people around his mill, which he was proud of. He gave Manning and her sons a tour of the piece of living history a while ago.
Manning said a photo that ran in the Gazette-Times a few years back encompassed much of what Hull was about.
"He and his brother-in-law were playing Frisbee in the park," she said. "That's the kind of person he was, ageless in a way."
A memorial service is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday, May 20, in the Corvallis First Baptist Church. Private family graveside services will be at Bellfountain Cemetery. McHenry Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
May 16, 2002