In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in memory of Billy Hulse to the Shepherd Center Foundation, Betty and Billy Hulse Spinal Cord Injury Lab, 2020 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, GA 30309.
After hearing that Billy Hulse was assigned a horse named “Killer” during a college buddy’s quail hunt, a waggish newspaper gossip columnist dubbed Mr. Hulse a “daredevil Atlanta businessman.”
The title fit.
Mr. Hulse was a pilot, president and chairman of a successful aviation business, an energetic fundraiser for the Atlanta Botanical Garden and other organizations, a generous high society host and an avid fan of jazz, skiing and fly-fishing.
“I used to joke, Billy lived and breathed jet fuel,” said Jerry Wethington, his business partner of 28 years.
Frank “Billy” Wilson Hulse IV died Friday morning at his Ansley Park home. He was 65. A celebration of Mr. Hulse’s life will be held from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday at the Piedmont Driving Club.
For all his high-flying accomplishments, Mr. Hulse — a native of Birmingham who moved to Atlanta in the early 1970s — generally preferred to stay below the radar. He was a worldwide traveler, leader of a global network of chief executives called the Young President’s Organization and a donor to several scholarships.
But he was a quiet, reserved man. The great loves of his life were his wife, aviation and music. He enjoyed golf, but one longtime friend said that, like many golfers, Mr. Hulse looked forward mainly to the 19th hole.
“Billy loved the simple things — popcorn on the couch, cooking and being with friends,” said Betty Hulse, his wife of 28 years.
Mr. Hulse’s father started Southern Airways, which grew into one of the nation’s largest regional carriers. The younger Hulse started flying when he was 16, eventually becoming certified in several types of aircraft.
Armed with a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree from Harvard Business School, Mr. Hulse worked as president and chairman of Hangar One, a general aviation sales and service company owned by his father. The company eventually grew into a $100 million enterprise with 15 locations and more than 800 employees.
After Hangar One was sold to Beech Aircraft in 1983, Mr. Hulse worked as a partner at an Atlanta-based private investment firm called River Capital, and as chairman of several portfolio companies.
Mr. Hulse’s work was severely curtailed after he was paralyzed by a spinal cord injury in 2009. According to the journal of the Shepherd Center, a treatment facility for spinal and head injuries, Mr. Hulse slammed his head during a bout of night terrors, a medical condition caused by over-arousal of the central nervous system during sleep.
The injury gave Mr. Hulse a new mission. While still in his hospital bed, he told James Shepherd, chairman and co-founder of the center, that he wanted to help.
Two weeks ago, that dream became a reality as the Shepherd Center dedicated the Betty and Billy Hulse Spinal Cord Injury Lab, funded by $1.2 million the couple helped raise.
“Probably the easiest fundraiser I ever did,” said friend Tommy Holder. “They have an incredible number of friends who are so devoted to them. It was not hard at all to get people to the table.”
As recently as three weeks ago, Mr. Hulse was in Nashville, drumming up donations.
“We’ve lost a great friend of the hospital,” Mr. Shepherd said. “We’ve also lost a great friend of the community.”
Friends said Mr. Hulse kept his spirit and quick, dry wit even after his injury confined him to a wheelchair. He continued to travel to Florida, North Carolina and California.
“You had a tendency to overlook his problems,” Mr. Wethington said. “He had this incredible force and drive. Billy was a warrior.”
In addition to Mrs. Hulse, Mr. Hulse is survived by a sister, Bonnie Hulse Krebs; a niece, Cobby Witherington; and a nephew, Frank Young.
About the Author
