The man who designed and administered LCCVI’s Nicol’s Scholarship has died.

Floyd Hull, an attorney, judge, veteran and philanthropist who set up the foundation and its $10,000 scholarship fund, passed away Boxing Day in Florida.

Petrolia Mayor John McCharles says until four years ago, Hull and his wife would travel to Petrolia to help present the prestigious scholarships.

“They were lovely people,” says McCharles who worked with Hull for a number of years on the scholarship.

“The reason that they came to Petrolia – they could have sent the cheque in the mail – but they wanted to have a personal connection with the recipients…He physically anted to talk to each one of them. He took the job very seriously.

“He was very impressed with the caliber of the students we had here and the high school itself and it overwhelmed him to see the scholarship so very well received by the school population.”

LCCVI Principal Linda Jared also met Hull a number of times as vice-principal and when Hull made his last trip to the community. “He was so into the whole Nicol scholarship idea,” she says of his enthusiasm for the program. “He made a point …of drawing me aside making sure I understood how important Nicol scholarship was and how special it was.

“He had a huge heart for it worked very hard over the year to keep the connection with Petrolia,” says Jared.

The principal adds it was a joy to watch Hull interact with the receipents. “He would just light up …he was that real personal connection with the kids and Mr. Nicol.”

It’s clear the feelings of warmth lasted until the end of his life. His obituary talks of his love for baseball – there is a stadium in his hometown named after him because he helped start the Federal Little League – and his pride for the Nicol Scholarship.

“Floyd was extremely proud of his trusteeship since 1991 in providing $10,000 per selected scholar for Canadian children in Petrolia, Canada,” reads the obituary.
“Traveling with Jeanora, Richard and Chris Mills to award these scholarships of to date over 300 recipients of the Nicol Scholarship Fund.”

Hull’s son, Michael, has now taken up the trusteeship and the travel to Petrolia says Jared adding he shares his father’s enthusiasm for Petrolia after hearing so many stories about the Nicol’s scholars.

“They would tell him how wonderful Petrolia was, how great the kids were , how nice the school was how welcoming the community was,” says Jared.