Vivian Bull before her retirement as president of Linfield University in 2005. (Oregonian file photo by Roger Jensen)

ASOR mourns the passing of long-time member, former Albright & ASOR Trustee, Vivian Ann Bull (1934-2022), who passed away on August 12, 2022 at age 87. We share our condolences with Vivian’s sons (Robert “Camper” Bull and W. Carlson Bull).

While we will miss Vivian dearly, we remember and celebrate her life and many accomplishments. We have included detailed remembrances by Jane DeRose Evans and by J. Edward Wright, a personal memorial letter to Vivian by Carolyn Midkiff Strange, and additional tributes and brief remembrances by ASOR officers and others in the ASOR family who were close to Vivian. Please e-mail ASOR if you would like to add a tribute to this webpage.

Please click here for the official obituary and memorial service information (October 8, 2022).

Vivian Bull, Andy Vaughn, Marylinda Govaars, and Olin Storvick at the 2017 ASOR meeting.

In Remembrance: Vivian Ann Bull (1934 – 2022)

Jane DeRose Evans, Professor of Roman Art and Archaeology and Chair of Art History, Temple University

Vivian, a long-time and staunch supporter of the Albright Institute and ASOR, was a trailblazer throughout her life. She was the first student from Albion College (where she earned her undergraduate degree in economics) to receive a Fulbright. Heading to the London School of Economics, she also completed graduate work in Norway and the Netherlands. After graduation, she was one of the few women working in the field of banking and finance – and had to appeal directly to her company’s vice president when she got her notice, which she convinced him was only due to her gender. Her curiosity about international economics brought her to Jerusalem, where she met Robert J. Bull, who was working at Tell er Ras (Shechem). Vivian went with Bob in 1955 to Madison NJ when he was offered the position of instructor of church history in 1955. Five years later, she became a part-time instructor of accounting, and only took on a fulltime position on the condition that she be allowed to complete the work for a PhD in Economics, which she did through NYU (her first choice, Princeton, was not accepting women). Vivian taught at Drew for thirty years, while also serving as Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts for much of that time. But summers were spent as registrar on the excavations that Bob directed – her meticulous organization of the records is still apparent from the field notes of those excavations.

In 1992, Vivian left Drew as Emeritus Professor to serve a 13-year term as president of Linfield College (OR). It was her background in international education, business, and academic leadership that attracted the attention of the search committee. She became known as a builder, doubling the size of the College’s campus and advocate for diversity and inclusion. When she retired from that position, she awarded the title of President Emeritus and is still remembered on that campus by the dedication of the Vivian A. Bull Music Center.

Vivian and Jeff Blakley converse at the 2014 Legacy Dinner.

In 2012, she came out of retirement at the request of the Drew trustees to serve as an interim president of the University. Upon her retirement in 2014, she was named President Emeritus and can be remembered on that campus by the dedication of the Vivian A. Bull Academic Commons in the University Library.

Through her archaeological work, Vivian became an advocate for the Albright Institute, where she became a Trustee of the Albright, first serving as Treasurer and then, in 2006, becoming the Chair of the Board. In 2012 she became a Honorary Trustee, a lifetime appointment. At the same time, she supported the work of ASOR, becoming a member of the Board and a vital voice on the Finance Committee and the Development Committee. In 2016, she received the Charles U. Harris Service Award from ASOR in acknowledgement of her work for the organization. Up until her death, she was deeply involved in the efforts to publish the results of Bob’s excavations in Caesarea and Tell er Ras.

Vivian’s strong faith was evident from an early age and remained an important part of her life’s work and philosophy. Although she would have liked to have been a Methodist minister, the denomination was not accepting women when she was making decisions about graduate school. She remained devoted to Methodist causes, working with committees to foster the growth of educational services in Africa and singing in the choir of her local church as one of the few tenors for many years.

Vivian is survived by two sons, Robert “Camper” Bull and W. Carlson Bull, both of whom grew up on the Caesarea excavations and remain supporters of ASOR.

A Life Well Lived: Vivian Ann Bull (1934 – 2022)

J. Edward Wright, Professor of Hebrew Bible and Early Judaism & Director of the Arizona Center for Judaic Studies, The University of Arizona

It was with deep sadness that we received the news of the passing of our esteemed colleague and longtime ASOR member Dr. Vivian Bull on 12 August 2022. Among her many admirable attributes were her wisdom, administrative acumen, compassionate spirit, piety, patience, humility, and commitment to service and doing what is right.

After graduating from Albion College, Vivian received a Fulbright Scholarship to study at the London School of Economics. She received a PhD from New York University and undertook additional studies in Norway, Great Britain, and the Netherlands. Her dissertation and subsequent work focused on the economic conditions and prospects in the West Bank. Her work was influential not only among scholars but also among policy experts in the United States’ government. She met archaeologist and prominent ASOR leader Robert J. Bull (1920-2013) in Jerusalem in 1955. Vivian and Bob married in 1959 and had two fine sons, Camper and Carlson, who now carry on their parents admirable legacy.

Vivian spent decades in the field alongside Bob, mostly serving as a camp administrator at several excavations, including Shechem, Pella, Tel er-Ras, Caesarea Maritima. After Bob’s death, Vivian continued to work on the Caesarea Maritima excavations and its publication series until her death. It is clearly due to her extensive overseas experience that Vivian was always a vocal advocate for the liberal arts.

Vivian served Drew University a private, liberal arts university located in Madison, New Jersey for forty-four years, moving through the academic and administrative ranks while serving as professor of economics (1960-1992) and associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts (1978-86). After two decades away from Drew, Vivian returned when she was named president in 2012, the first woman to lead Drew University as president. She retired once again in 2014. Obviously, Vivian really was not very good at “retiring.” In recognition of her many years of service and her outstanding leadership of the university, in 2014 the university bestowed on her the honor of president emerita and named the Academic Commons in the main library in her honor.

Vivian conversing with Ed Wright at the 2014 Legacy Dinner.

Vivian served as the 18th president of Linfield University, a private liberal arts university located in McMinnville, Oregon from 1992 to 2005. During her tenure, the university was consistently listed among the best liberal arts colleges in the western region. Vivian was the first woman to serve as Linfield’s president, and under her leadership the university experienced a period of growth in terms of its enrollments and academic standing. Scott Chambers, a Linfield faculty member and one of Vivian’s trusted advisors and a dear friend recently said, “Vivian was a transformational president. She led Linfield from a small college to a sizable university. She doubled Linfield’s acreage and had an impact on every aspect of the school—technology, curriculum, buildings, endowment, athletics, and international and professional programs. From the beginning Vivian was deeply engaged with students, faculty, staff, and the local community.” Marvin Henberg, former academic vice president at Linfield and president emeritus of The College of Idaho noted that “Vivian was the best boss, the one everyone deserves to have at least once in a lifetime.” In recognition of all her accomplishments, in 2006 the university named its new, state-of-the-art music center in her honor—The Vivian A. Bull Music Center. Upon her retirement, the university honored her with president-emerita status. Vivian also received honorary doctorates from the University of Portland, Drew University, and Albion College.

Vivian served on many boards during her long and distinguished career, and due to her decades of work in the field with Bob, it was only natural that she would be a leader in ASOR. She was a board member from 1982 to 1990 and again from 2014 to 2019. She was also named an honorary trustee. ASOR benefited from her professional expertise and wise leadership. She served on the Development, Finance, Officers Nominations, and Strategic Planning committees. In recognition of her decades of distinguished service, ASOR honored her with The Charles U. Harris Service Award in 2016. Former ASOR president Prof. Susan Ackerman admired Vivian and once told me that Vivian was a model to her as a scholar, administrator, and mentor.

I treasure the six-years (2006-2012) I served alongside Vivian on the W. F. Albright Institute’s Board of Trustees, Vivian as board chair and I as president. I learned so much from her during those years. Whenever the Board had to deal with a difficult issue, at some point in the back-and-forth discussions Vivian would say, firmly but respectfully, “Hope is not a business plan.” That challenge quickly led to more substantive planning. To this day I remain in awe of Vivian’s wisdom, patience, compassion, humility, and grace. We are all better people for having had Vivian as a colleague, mentor, and friend.

Vivian had an amazing life, and she had a deep impact on the lives of countless people—family, friends, faculty, staff, students, volunteers, and the people of her local community in both McMinnville and Madison. Vivian deserves all the accolades that have been bestowed on her during her life and now in her memory. I think we can best honor her life and memory by following her deep personal commitment to excellence, honor, diversity, justice, and service. Vivian set a high bar in all these areas.

Drew University will hold a memorial service honoring Vivian on October 8, 2022 in Madison, New Jersey. Linfield University will hold its memorial service for her on November 12, 2022 in McMinnville, Oregon.

May the memory of Vivian A. Bull forever be a blessing.

Vivian Bull hosting a table at the Initiative on the Status of Women: Mentoring Lunch at the 2018 Annual Meeting in Denver.

In Memoriam: Vivian Ann Bull (1934 – 2022)

Carolyn Midkiff Strange, Tampa, Florida

Dear Vivian,

In August of 1970, the Stranges, Jim, Carolyn, Mary Elizabeth, and James Riley, began a year filled more than we could have ever imagined. It first started with meeting you, Bob, and Camper in his OshKosh B’gosh and having his b’anna. You, the “First Lady of the Albright” that year, gave us months of memories which we will never forget.

As I look back on that time, I am amazed at all we did. You took us to a place where we watched knitters, and I was able to get sweaters for the children. James even remembers the one I bought for him. Another outing took us to a place where ceramics were being made. The gentleman there gave James and Elizabeth clay so they could fashion their own creations. We took their work back to be fired. I have those objects to this day. There were the cooking classes at the YWCA, during the time the men were galavanting around Turkey. You took me to Miss Halaby’s basement which was full of very fine cross stitch embroidered by Palestine women. I still have some of the pieces from there. If I remember correctly, her sister, an artist, served us a refreshing drink made of green grapes from her own vines. There was coffee in the morning with Omar in the kitchen and tea in the afternoon in the garden. At Christmas, a tree from the Jerusalem forest, which we decorated with ornaments called ‘God’s eyes.’ We had turkey dinner prepared by Omar; however, no cranberries were available, but you found lingonberries as a very nice substitute. You introduced us to the observance of Advent, not at all familiar to us Baptists. In the spring, there were birthday parties. One weekend with James and Elizabeth safely at the Albright, Jim and I were given the VW tender so we could go to Masada, the Roman ramp side. It is hard to believe we actually walked up that incline. The walk to Jericho is especially memorable. Then we all celebrated the birth of Carlson.

Comments in Remembrance of Vivian Bull

“I first met Vivian Bull, as so many of us did, at the Albright in the 1970s, where she wrangled two rambunctious kids, the Albright staff, fellows, and quarter mastered complex excavation projects with calm efficiency and good humor, all the while pursuing a career in high-powered economics. When Vivian was around, things got done. She was on the both the Albright and ASOR Boards in the years I was president and vice-president. She always had wise words for us and could calm fractious tempers with a few wise quiet words and a glance. Above all, she was kind. We will miss her.” – Sharon Herbert

“Vivian Bull was an incredible mentor to me when I became ASOR President, as she, with extraordinary patience and kindness, used the knowledge she had gained as President Emerita at both Linfield and Drew Universities to nurture in me at least some small measure of her formidable leadership skills.” – Susan Ackerman

“While working in field KK at Caesarea, Vivian would bring me a flower each morning. A discarded bottle became a vase, placed on my worktable. Before leaving the field, I’d place the flower on the ground. Such a fine way to greet and bid farewell to each day. Ave atque vale, Sophissima Magistra.” – Kate Sheeler

“Since I began my work as ASOR Executive Director in 2007, it was invaluable to have a college dean and university president who had strong ASOR ties going back to the 1950s serve as counselor—and just as importantly, Vivian was an encouraging friend. Her love and loyalty to Bob and to her family was inspiring. She and Bob were an amazing team. My condolences to Camper, Carson, and the entire Bull family.” – Andy Vaughn

“Vivian embodied wisdom and discernment, and she provided invaluable guidance to ASOR and the Albright over a lifetime, and in a generation when there were very few women in leadership in our field. I will always remember her quiet assurance and encouragement during the difficult early days of my presidency, when there was considerable doubt about the new leadership and ASOR’s viability as an organization. Vivian was a steady and trusted counsel over the ensuing years, and a source of much wisdom. May she rest in peace.” – Timothy Harrison

“Like the Stranges, my family first met Vivian Bull in 1970 when we arrived for our Fulbright year at the Albright. We learned that she and Bob Bull met around the corner at a noted Palestinian restaurant which is now the Adventist Study Center—just down the street from Orient House! The Bulls were superb hosts to the Albright appointees that year. Since we had a son, Brent, the same age as Camper, we bonded over our boys as well as archaeology. May she rest in peace!” – Lawrence Geraty

“Vivian Bull joined our 1970 dig at Khirbet Shema, for Bob Bull served as senior advisor that year. Going from years based at Nablus to our base camp at Meiron, an orthodox Jewish moshav, was a huge change of settings and cultures for both of them. The kashrut, the closing of the village on Shabbat, and the fact that the locals spoke Hebrew and Yiddish were all challenging, to say the least. Vivian found ways to work around all of that, as only she could, and helped enormously, especially in registry. Carol and I and our daughter, Julie, especially enjoyed our trips back to Jerusalem with them, in the Albright’s 404 Peugeot wagon, for weekends. RIP.” – Eric Meyers

“Vivian and Bob Bull had different personalities and individual different strengths, but over the fifty years I knew them they always seemed the perfect couple. At those times I headed committees for ASOR. I always wanted Vivian to be appointed to the committee because I knew our committee would receive thoughtful and insightful advice. My family will miss Vivian.” – Jeffrey Blakely

“A stalwart, serving as camp manager for the 1962 season at Shechem was where I first met Vivian Bull. Tough, but congenial and in all ways impressive she was our “Mama Bull” (though of course not to her face). Down the years she remained a warm and vitally supportive ally in the work of ASOR and the Albright Institute. And with all a special family friend. RIP Dear Vivian!” – Joe Seger

“I will always remember with a smile one of the most eyebrow-raising moments of a meeting of the W. F. Albright Institute’s Board of Trustees. Our beloved Vivian Bull—seemingly buttoned-up and quiet in appearance—proudly told the board with enthusiasm that one of her children was conceived at the Albright in Jerusalem. I loved her from that moment on. She was Chair of the Board (2006-2012) while I was Albright Vice-President and Chair of Fellowships. Today, as Chair of the Board myself, I realize how much I learned from her wisdom, guidance, and leadership during those years” – Joan Branham

“Vivian Bull was a quiet but powerful presence at the Albright Institute for as long as I can remember. As board chair, she was responsible for regularizing the Albright’s finances and safeguarding our endowment, services for which we continue to reap the benefit. I will cherish the memory of her loyalty to the Albright as well as her sense of humor.” – Sidnie White Crawford

“Vivian Bull will long be remembered for her dedication and loyalty to ASOR/Albright. What impressed me most about Vivian was her consistent and realistic approach to the development of the two institutions reflected in her often-heard response to Trustee proposals, ‘Hope is not a plan’. She will also be remembered for her unfailing support of Bob’s archaeological excavations represented by this photo [see below] of their working together on the Caesarea pottery at the Albright. May her memory be for a blessing.” – Sy Gitin

Vivian and Bob Bull working together on the Caesarea pottery at the Albright Institute in Jerusalem. (Photo credit: Sy Gitin)