Henry Harrison Null IV

Henry Harrison Null IV passed away Friday, July 26th after a brief but devastating illness. He leaves behind his wife Maureen Guerrero Null, daughter Elizabeth Maulhardt, and son Jacob Null and his wife Carol, of Bar Harbor, Maine. His son John Null of Laurinburg, North Carolina preceded him in death. He also leaves behind a coterie of friends who reveled in his uniqueness. Raconteur, art critic, bon vivant, loyal friend, Henry could hold court on almost any subject. He loved discussing and analyzing paintings or politics, Shakespeare or an opera; yet could be as enthusiastic about professional basketball or how to feed a calla lily. He followed politics passionately, and was a believer in accurate information as well as opinions. An avid swimmer he enjoyed many a morning session at the Santa Barbara Athletic Club, and also his usual meetings with the “Croissant Boys’.

Henry began his life journey on April 16th, 1935 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, son of Margaret and Henry Harrison Null III, moving to the nearby town of Waverly as a young boy. It was a rural upbringing, with sleds and bikes, and learning card games and chess at the town center. His first job as a boy was delivering milk for local farm – he impressed the owner with how quickly he memorized the delivery route! His quick mind and voracious reading led to him attending the Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. Four wonderful years of his life where he made lifelong friends – he kept in touch with many of the class of 1954 for all these 65 years.  Following a brief college career at Harvard and Lafayette he decided to follow his dream and become a newspaper owner and reporter, moved to New Rochelle, married a Sarah Lawrence girl, Lisa Higgens, and had his two sons. A second life change took him to the Esalen institute in Big Sur in 1967, where he spent six years learning gardening, mastering his skills, and finally becoming the main gardener of Esalen. In the mid 1970’s he moved to Santa Barbara to pursue the study of the violin, and continue his career as gardener and eventually a garden designer. The violin, chamber music, and symphony became the deepest joy of his life and he was never happier than when playing with the SBCC Symphony or in chamber music classes. On a whim in 1995 he decided to take Mark Ferrer’s Shakesperare class at Adult Ed, where in the midst of Hamlet he met and fell in love with Maureen Guerrero who in 1996 became his wife, and with whom he inherited his beloved step-daughter, Elizabeth Maulhardt.

It’s difficult to describe how unique Henry was, but suffice to say that he had an impact on all who met him. He did not suffer fools but was loyal to those he loved. He is deeply missed by we who loved him, and the pain of his passing is shattering.

” I shall not look upon his like again”.

Memorial will be held Tuesday, August 27th, at McDermott-Crockett, 2020 Chapala Santa Barbara 93105, 805-699-5944