Obituary of Robert Kingsley "Kayo" Hull

Robert Kingsley “Kayo” Hull, 69, of Penn Yan, NY, passed away peacefully on March 16 after facing the challenges of Parkinson’s for a long time, with his beloved spouse at his side. Kayo is survived by his wife of 18 years, Anna Hurley, and cherished sons David and Charles “Chat” (Lisa), grandson Max Hull; sister Elizabeth “Betsey” Hull, and nieces Sally (Dennis) Gallagher and Lesley Klose; uncle Robert “Bo” and aunt Lisbet Hopkins; numerous Hopkins and Hull family cousins; in-laws John Hurley and Donna Mihalik, Julia (Hurley) and Jeff Magone, Nora (Hurley) and Dirk Dunbar, Mary (Hurley) and James Leisner, Jeremiah “Jerry” Hurley and Mita Giacomini, Eileen Hurley, Brigit Hurley and Jeff Young, Patrick Hurley, Timothy Hurley, and 22 nieces and nephews of the Hurley clan; as well as numerous other family and friends across the country and abroad. Kayo was predeceased by son Josiah Fitzpatrick Hurley Hull, mother Frances Hopkins Oxholm, father Arthur Hull, stepfather Carl Oxholm, stepmother Margaret Hull, brother-in-law Thomas Klose, and many Hopkins and Hull aunts and uncles, including Julie “Poodie” and Albert “Albie” Neilson, and Lesley “Les” and Sharon Hull. Born in Denver, CO, Kayo’s family lived in Akron, OH, before moving to South America in 1955. Kayo received his early education at schools in Argentina, Venezuela, and Portugal. Among Kayo’s fondest memories were his nine wonderful childhood years in Buenos Aires, Argentina; his high school years at Woodberry Forest School in Virginia; and his $10-a-day trip around Europe during a gap year before college. Kayo enjoyed life. Family, faith, food, and flying were most important to him, all of which he passed on to his sons. As a pilot and member of the Penn Yan Flying Club, he shared his passion for flying with his family. He loved literature and had an extensive personal library. He was an avid fan of music and the arts, being an enthusiastic attendee of Broadway plays, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and live concerts. Kayo relished fine wines, gourmet food, and sweets (especially dulce de leche, chocolate, and Seneca Farms ice cream), and he was often teased about his lengthy perfectionism in making a sandwich. He studied theology at St. Bernard’s Seminary in Rochester, NY, was always ready for a discussion of spiritual and moral issues, and was an active member of Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Community/St. Michael’s. In his professional life, Kayo was a gifted lawyer with law degrees from Columbia and Harvard and a master’s in international affairs from Columbia. He was legal writing instructor at Columbia Law School and subsequently an associate at Sullivan & Cromwell before moving from New York City to Penn Yan. He became an active participant in his community, serving as Yates County treasurer from 1986-1989 and mayor of Penn Yan from 1987-1991. He worked as a labor arbitrator and mediator since 1993 and served on the faculty at Cornell Law School in the early 2000s. Keenly interested in world affairs, Kayo was fluent in Spanish and French. Special thanks to the staff of The Homestead and Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital for their compassionate care. Friends may visit Friday, March 26, 4-7 pm at Townsend-Wood & Zinger Funeral Home, 201 E Elm St., Penn Yan, following COVID masking and social distancing rules. Due to COVID restrictions a private family funeral Mass will be held Saturday, March 27, 11 am, at St. Michael’s Church. A family only interment will follow at St. Michael’s Cemetery. To view the live stream, please click on this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83489947492 In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring Kayo with a memorial donation to: St. Michael’s Church, 312 Liberty St., Penn Yan, NY 14567 The Finger Lakes Health Foundation’s “Struzzi Fund,” 196 North St., Geneva, New York, 14456, www.flhealth.org . The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Grand Central Station, PO Box 4777, New York, NY 10163-4777, www.donations@michaeljfox.org Woodberry Forest School, 898 Woodberry Forest Rd, Woodberry Forest, VA 22989, www.givecampus.com/campaigns/13998/donations/new “To come to a place you know not, you must go by a way you know not.” – John of the Cross