Robert Bulkeley

Robert Bulkeley obituary, Laconia, NH

Robert Bulkeley

Robert Bulkeley Obituary

Obituary published on Legacy.com by Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home on May 16, 2025.

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CAMPTON----Robert Dudley Bulkeley, a man known by multiple names (Bob, Bubbles, Poppy, Dad, Mr. Bulkeley), passed away on Sunday, May 11, 2025. A little over a month after he was diagnosed with an advanced abdominal cancer, he transferred to home hospice and spent his final weeks in comfort at home, visiting with friends and family.
Bob was born in West Hartford, CT, in 1942. He graduated from Kingswood Oxford School, received his undergraduate degree from Yale University, and his master's degree from Columbia University. He was a lifelong educator and a voracious reader. Bob had a 32-year teaching career, beginning at Noble & Greenough, in Dedham, MA, before moving to Baltimore, MD, in 1973. There, he taught English and coached ice hockey and rugby at Gilman School until his retirement. He was actively involved in AA while living in Baltimore, after getting sober in 1981. His legacy there involved inspiring students with lessons about life from literature, establishing drug and alcohol education programs, and helping countless families navigate crises.
Bob and his wife of 54 years, Louise Bulkeley, better known as Ouisie, raised three children in Baltimore before he retired and they moved to the Lakes Region of New Hampshire in 2000 to live a simple life in the mountains and be near the summer camps where they met.
Camp Pasquaney, a summer camp for boys, was a centering thread in Bob's life. Over 66 summers, he was first a camper and then a counsellor and director of the waterfront, where his voice could be heard booming across the lake. At camp, Bob was known for his deep value of community, his industrious spirit, his innate belief in the potential of young people, and his prolific storytelling. Anyone who knew Bob well would know that the spirit of Pasquaney and the life of Bob Bulkeley have always been intricately woven.
During his retirement, Bob stayed active by spending time with his children and grandchildren, traveling the world with Ouisie, continuing his involvement with camp, and making a difference in his local community. He believed in a deep connection with the land and served on the Board of Trustees for the Quincy Bog Natural Area and Pemi-Baker Land Trust. For many years, he remained an active member of the Yale Alumni Association. In his in-between time, he got involved in local and presidential elections for the Democratic Party, continued skiing, hiking, trail work, reading literature and history books, and constantly watched the Red Sox, Bruins, and Patriots on TV. He also enjoyed cooking for his family and, thankfully, became a decent cook over the years.
His surviving family includes his wife, Louise; three children, Tracy, Brooke, and Leigh; his sons-in-law Erik and Mark; and four grandchildren, Greta, Veronica, William, and Zeke. He is predeceased by his father, Richard, mother, Virginia, and brother, Richard. He will be missed immensely by his family and friends. A memorial service will be held later this summer. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Bubbles' / Bob's name to
or the .
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services/603Cremations.com, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, NH, 03246, is assisting the family with arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial, please visit wilkinsonbeane.com.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Sign Robert Bulkeley's Guest Book

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September 3, 2025

John Reid posted to the memorial.

August 23, 2025

Janice (Busen) Caramanica posted to the memorial.

August 15, 2025

John McDaniel posted to the memorial.

4 Entries

John Reid

September 3, 2025

Bob was a friend for over 60 years and I miss him dearly. We shared the same values, a love for skiing and a loyalty to Yale. I was lucky enough to visit with him just before he died. RIP Bubbles.

Janice (Busen) Caramanica

August 23, 2025

I was so sorry to hear of Bob´s passing. I worked for Bob and Ouisie as a mother´s helper in New Hampshire during the summers of 1978 and 1979 and have often reflected fondly on my time with the Bulkeley family. I also took classes at Gilman as a Bryn Mawr student and enjoyed having Bob as a teacher. My deepest condolences to Ouisie, Tracy, Brooke, Leigh, and the entire family.

John McDaniel

August 15, 2025

Mr. Bulkeley was the embodiment of a teacher at Gilman in the mid-1970s. He was well-educated (Yale in the 1960s). He loved teaching. He was straight-forward. He had imagination (look at his starting the hockey program from scratch). He had a sense of humor (I hope others remember his impersonation of Truman Capote when he wanted to show a hoity-toity author). He taught us the pleasure of reading a good story by assigning us to read "The Boys of Summer." I hope Mr. Bulkeley enjoyed his career, appreciated the peacefulness of New Hampshire and knew that people appreciate all of his efforts.

Sloan Farrell

May 23, 2025

Very, very sorry to hear about his passing and so glad I got catch up with Bubbles this summer. He had so many connections to all over 60 plus years at Camp Pasquaney. My father was a counselor when he arrived and later Bubbles was my counselor. Life well lived.

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Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home

164 Pleasant Street P.O. Box 67, Laconia, NH 03246

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Sign Robert Bulkeley's Guest Book

Not sure what to say?

September 3, 2025

John Reid posted to the memorial.

August 23, 2025

Janice (Busen) Caramanica posted to the memorial.

August 15, 2025

John McDaniel posted to the memorial.