Dr. Michael Tulman

1945 - 2020

Dr. Michael Tulman, 74, passed away Saturday, June 27, 2020, among loving family in his home in Ashford. Michael was an artistic and free spirit who was a friend to many and a source of comfort to animals and their owners as a local veterinarian for 48 years. He was born in Hartford, December 4, 1945 to Harry and Edith (Cohen) Tulman. While raised in the North End of Hartford, Michael summered in Clinton, where he grew to love the sun and ocean - waterskiing, boating, and sailing. After losing his beloved mother in 1956, Michael was raised by his father and had loving support from aunts and uncles, notably Minna (Cohen) Krutt. He graduated from Weaver High School in 1964, named in his yearbook as '…Mr. Everything…on skis winter and summer…' and held formative employment with A.C. Petersen dairy farm in Bloomfield, which furthered his appreciation for cows and hard work. Michael attended the University of Connecticut until 1968, and received a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the New York State Veterinary College at Cornell University in 1972. Upon graduation, he started practicing at Bolton Veterinary Hospital, and continued to practice there for the remainder of his career - serving as a partner for many decades, helping to build the practice, and enjoying the diversity, the opportunities for creativity and common-sense problem-solving, and the camaraderie with excellent coworkers that it afforded. He remained dedicated to veterinary medicine as a craft, especially enjoying surgery, large animal medicine and mentoring new veterinarians. He understood that the comfort and well-being of his patients and clients was the essence of good veterinary medicine. Most of all, he enjoyed people - sharing stories, finding common history, and bringing light to the hearts of all who knew him. Michael lived in Andover, CT, from 1974 to 1994, helping to raise a family and embracing small-town life - gardening, harvesting firewood with friends, woodworking, and crafting fine hand-carved birds. Over the last decades, Michael has lived on his gentleman's farm in Ashford, enjoying his animals and nature, his cottage on Lake Chaffee, and spending time with his four beloved Labradors, family and friends. Throughout his life, Michael continued to return to the sea – visits to Clinton, vacations on Cape Cod and eventually on his own sailboat which he kept as a member at Shennecossett Yacht Club in Groton, often sailing around Fisher's Island Sound and to his favorite destination, Block Island. Sailing remained a passion, joy, and freedom of expression which Michael shared with friends and loved ones. Michael is survived by his life partner, Kari Olson of Ashford, his sons Edan of Mansfield, Joshua of Davis CA, and Benjamin of Boston MA, daughters-in-law Ellen Tulman and Colleen Clancy, and his four granddaughters Anna, Claire, Neve, and Quinn Tulman. Michael is also survived by members of his extended family, Kari's sister Kristi Preneta, and her eight nieces and nephews who grew up with "Uncle Mikie," Heather and David Varle, Lauren, Nicolas, Josh and Tyler Marciano, Ryan Schub and Ava Lyons, as well as his close cousin, Janet (Krutt) Suchecki. The family will host a private memorial service, to be followed by a celebration of life event to be held at a future date. Donations in Michael's name can be made to Bolton Veterinary Hospital c/o the Alan A. Leventhal Memorial Fund, 222 Boston Tpke., Bolton, CT 06043, to support those who cannot afford needed veterinary care for their pets. Ladd-Turkington & Carmon Funeral Home in Vernon is caring for the arrangements. For online condolences and guest book, please visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com