IRVINGTON—The Reverend Edward A. “Ted” Tulis, 93, died on February 21, 2025, at Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury in Irvington.
He was born in Newton, Massachusetts. Mr. Tulis earned a B. A. from Wm. Jewell College, Liberty, Missouri, a M.Div. from Episcopal Theological School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, an M.S. (Ph. D. candidate), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, an MFA (Hon), Columbia College of the Visual Arts, Certificate of Clinical Pastoral Psychiatry, Up-State Medical School, Syracuse, New York and the N.Y.S. Department of Mental Hygiene and a certificate of Higher Education, Harvard University.
He served as chaplain supervisor, New York State Department of Mental Health, senior research associate, Center for Learning, Cornell University, campus director and professor, Antioch University.
Mr. Tulis owned a management consulting firm. During that time he worked for the California Energy Commission where he developed California’s tracking transportation of fuels and provided expert testimony to the California legislature. He managed the redesign of information systems in petroleum, natural gas, pipeline and nuclear lines of commerce for the U.S. Department of Energy.
He also designed and developed an automated tracking system for the U.S. Customs Service which included an award-winning brochure directed toward the trade users of ACS and training for trade and customs staff. He was the technical lead for Customs International automation and enforcement assistance to Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Canada and Russia. It included system design including hardware, software applications development and training. He provided similar services to Egypt for USAID.
Mr. Tulis was ordained an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Massachusetts in January 1958. He served interims as rector in the Diocese of Central New York and served 20 years in the Diocese of Virginia as a supply priest and interim rector at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Fleeton.
After retirement he served with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and was flotilla chaplain for several years. He patrolled the Rappahannock River and the Chesapeake Bay, taught boating safety, conducted vessel inspections and taught at the U.S.C.G. Training Center at Yorktown. He was a certified Aids-to-Navigation Specialist serving alongside ANT Milford Haven team members. He received a Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award and was Auxiliarist of the Year in 2002 and 2005, and Coxswain of the Year in 2002 -2004.
Mr. Tulis leaves his wife of 42 years, Judith Lords Tulis; a stepson, Paul Kopp (Kathryn) of Germantown, Maryland; granddaughter, Elizabeth Kopp of Baltimore, Maryland; and granddaughter, Samantha Kopp Tabor (Reed), and great-granddaughter Maggie of Lexington, Kentucky. He had three children, Kristin Edwards and Clay Tulis of Ball Ground, Georgia, and Evan Tulis of Baltimore, Maryland.
Services will be announced at a later date.
