04/14/2013
Dr. Charles Neifert Hull, 80, died Sunday, April 14, 2013, at his residence after a short but courageous battle with cancer. Charlie was born in Des Moines, on August 20, 1932, to Dr. Charles F. Hull and Hazel Hull of Knoxville, IA.
He was a graduate of Drake University and the University Of Iowa College Of Medicine. He interned at Broadlawns hospital. After completion of his residency in Iowa City, he returned to the private practice of Anesthesiology with Medical Center Anesthesiologist P.C. where he was twice President of that group.
He was certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology, a fellow of the American College of Anesthesiologists. Dr. Hull was Chief of the Department of Anesthesia at Mercy Medical Center from 1968 to 1972. He remained to teach Head of that Department from 1968 to 1990.
He was a life member of the American Medical Association, Polk County Medical Society, and Iowa Medical Society of Anesthesiologists.
Dr. Hull enjoyed academic medicine and teaching medical students. He was the recipient of a certificate of merit for research in obstetrical anesthesia awarded by the New York Society of Anesthesiology. In 1974, he received the award for excellence in teaching by the senior class at COMS (Des Moines University).
Aside from his distinguished career in medicine, Charlie was a very versatile individual. Early in life he worked on his father’s dairy farm and took pride in being able to repair machinery. In high school, his interest in electronics
carried him to become an amateur radio operator WOPKX with an advanced class license. He built several of his early transmitters. He enjoyed talking to other operators all over the world. Prior to his medical career, he installed and serviced TV sets.
He was an avid hunter and angler (obtained from his father) and traveled throughout North America pursuing these adventures. He has a long list of trophy fish he has caught and released. Water sports were a part of Charlie’s life.
He was a competent slalom water skier and involved his entire family in this sport. He was also a certified scuba diver and enjoyed diving with his friends in some of the world’s best diving areas in the Caribbean and South Pacific oceans.
Tennis was my first love sports. He and his son, Chuck, won numerous Father and Son tournaments in the Midwest. He loved playing mixed doubles with his wife, Norma Jo. After retirement, they became avid golfers.
Last seventeen years Charlie spent studying the world’s religions and the hereafter. Always a religious individual these studies in later life carried him toward that of a metaphysician. He wrote a book for his family entitled
“We are Fundamentally Spiritual Beings Existing in a Multidimensional Universe.” The book professes his belief in reincarnation for soul advancement until we reach oneness with our creator.
Left to celebrate Charlie’s life are his wife, Norma Jo, two daughters, Debra Hubbartt (Jim) and Lynn Keat, and son, Chuck (Toni) all of Des Moines; grandchildren, Chris Kopp (Cassandra) of Denver, CO, and Dr. Jason Kopp (Jen), C.J. Hull and Faith Hull all of Des Moines; two step-grandchildren, Jody Winfrey (Matt) and Kody Keat; numerous great-grandchildren; and many other family members and friends.
A visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 17, at Iles Funeral Home-Dunn’s Chapel.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, April 18, at Dunn’s Chapel. A private burial of the cremated remains will be held at a later date.