Obituary: Art Bull, 91, The Dalles

Art Bull

Art Bull was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on January 1, 1935, as the eldest son of John Arthur Bull and Evelyn Emily (Pocock).

Art's father was a Canadian Army nurse and moved 11 times. Art attended elementary school in Petawawa, Ontario, Canada. Art's parents divorced when he was 13, and his mother, twin sisters and Art moved to Vancouver, B.C., at the start of his sixth grade. It was there a male teacher “pulled him out of a mud puddle” and told him to make some good decisions. His pastime of throwing rocks came in handy as he went out for baseball at King Edward High School, where he also participated in basketball, soccer, rugby and football.

Art always said that baseball was his "GPS." As a King Edward High School pitcher, he pitched three no-hitters in three years. His team were city champions for four consecutive years, and he was elected to the provincial first-team all-stars for three years straight.

In 1954, Art played baseball for AABC Vancouver, B.C., and were the Whitespots Provincial Champions. He was nominated for Athlete of the Year. He also pitched against Satchel Paige at Edwards Air Force Base. In basketball, his team won the Canadian National Men's Basketball Title, and he was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.

In the summer of 1955, Art tried out with the Seattle Rainiers and also received letters of interest from the Philadelphia National Baseball League Club, the Chicago Cubs and the Edmonton Baseball Club.

In 1955, the University of Portland recruited Art to play basketball and baseball. Art majored in health and physical education/coaching and earned a master’s degree in school administration. He played basketball for three years and baseball for four years, receiving All-American recognition. His claim to pitching fame still stands at the University of Portland, where in 1958 he pitched two no-hitters in back-to-back games.

In the summer of 1956, Art played on the WCBL Edmonton Eskimos Baseball Championship Team.

After college baseball, Art played for Archer Blower and Pip World Series (AABC) and were national champions. In 1962, he was elected to the Cooperstown Hall of Fame. He also played on the Beaverton (AABC) National Baseball Champion team.

After college graduation, Art’s career spanned 39 years:

1959 in Rochester, Washington, teaching at the juvenile delinquent center.

1960–1962 St. Francis Academy in Baker, Oregon: Athletic Director/Coach.

1962–1964 Pine Valley High School in Halfway, Oregon: Athletic Director/Coach.

1964–1972 Nampa High School in Nampa, Idaho: Athletic Director/Coach/Teacher.

1972–1994 The Dalles High School as the Athletic Director.

1994–1998 TDHS Vice Principal (retired at 64).

It was by chance Art stopped in The Dalles on his way from Nampa, Idaho, to visit his in-laws in Portland, Oregon, in the summer of 1972. He heard there was a position open at TDHS, and 26 years later, Art would finish out his career as athletic director and vice principal.

Art's leadership at the school and state level were exceptional:

Idaho National Award for the President’s Council for Health & Physical Fitness

1980–1981 OADA Executive Board President and developed the OADA Constitution

1981 OADA Athletic Director of the Year

KATU Humanitarian Award; spoke at many schools about the dangers of chewing tobacco

Committees: OSAA Scheduling Districts and State Activities

State/Metro Baseball (20 years)

Lions Club President and Lions Club Baseball Chair (22 years)

Little League Vice President and Babe Ruth Vice President

Legion Advisor

Parks & Recreation Director and Parks & Rec Board Member (22 years)

Athletic records hanging in the high school hallway

Organized winter basketball tournaments for returning alumni on college break

TDHS ASB advisor and Hall of Fame organizer for students

Athletic records hanging in the high school hallway

In 1979, Art had an opportunity of a lifetime. He organized and played in a Hall of Fame baseball game at Portland Civic Stadium alongside Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Pete Ward, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Ernie Banks, to name a few.

Under his athletic directorship, he truly built an outstanding athletic program as he witnessed five state baseball championships, a girls’ tennis championship and numerous individual state champions in wrestling, track and cross country.

While at the University of Portland, Art met sophomore “Queen of Hearts Prom Queen” Frances Jean Gaman his junior year and married his senior year of college on Oct. 18, 1958. He always made sure people knew that she was a “City of Portland Ping-Pong Champion.”

Art and Fran were blessed with five children: sons Chris, Jeff, Tim, Jerry and daughter Shawn Stroud. His greatest joy was following the growth and achievements of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, especially on Facebook.

Art's love of travel took him to many places in the U.S. and around the world — Panama Canal, England, Alaska and more — but the one destination he and his wife Fran routinely enjoyed visiting for over 35 years was Cabo San Lucas, where they loved to spend springtime at Club Cascadas and Pueblo Bonito at Sunset Beach.

Art loved the outdoors and enjoyed both hunting and fishing. From mountain goat hunting in the mountains of Idaho to float plane fishing in Alaska and numerous lake fishing trips around Oregon, as well as salmon fishing at Chinook, Washington.

Art's name fitted him well, as he was very artistic and drew or scrawled wherever he went. He loved carving, where he beautifully sculptured gunstocks for each of his children. He also enjoyed leatherwork for knife sheaths, gun straps and belts.

During his retirement years, Art and Fran were “snowbirds,” traveling back and forth from their home in Lake Havasu, Arizona, and their “Rock Ranch” at Crooked River Ranch in Terrebonne, Oregon. In 2023, they sold their home in Arizona and lived the next two years at Crooked River Ranch until they moved to The Springs in The Dalles, Oregon, in August of 2025, where Art would live out his final four months.

Arthur is survived by his wife, Frances Jean (Gaman), of 67 years.

He is also survived by his children:

Son Christopher and Elizabeth Bull of Boring, Oregon — Nick and Candace Bull, Danielle;

Daughter Shawn and Jim Stroud of Rufus, Oregon — Kasey and Jeff Webber (Grady, Clara and Ella), Codie and Joseph Selby (Kyler and Emery), James and Shelby Stroud (Linley and Grayson), Scot and Nicole Stroud (Adley and Bennet);

Son Jeffrey Bull of Troutdale, Oregon — Curtis and Kevin;

Son Timothy and Dawn Bull of Troutdale, Oregon — Andy;

Son Gerald and Susan Bull of The Dalles, Oregon (Raylee) — Dakota, Hunter, Shannon, Dustin.

Please join us at Art's Celebration of Life Service at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at The Dalles High School Auditorium. The service will include a slideshow and open mic. Please feel free to share a short story or comment.

Following the service, there will be a simple dessert reception in the “Chat-N-Chew,” or one may want to spend time in the “Bull Pen,” which was built to honor Art.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Bristol Hospice or any youth sports program in Art's name.

Our family sincerely thanks Bristol Hospice (especially “Dee”) and The Springs at Mill Creek for their kind and compassionate care of Art's last days. Also Spencer, Libby and Powell for all their help and guidance.

In addition, we also want to thank all of you for your thoughtful words of sympathy. Whether through a Facebook comment, a text message, a call or a quick stop out in the community, your words or short stories of Art have comforted and touched our hearts forever and mean more to us than any words can express.