Given the enormous impact Dennis Puleston had on Cooley and,
subsequently, on SEQ, we felt it only proper to include a “tribute” to
Puleston in our writing of the History of SEQ.
If you never met Puleston, or if you really wanted to know the
beginnings of his life story, one should read one, or both, of his published
autobiographical books, A Gull’s Way and Blue Water Vagabond. The information
in those books would at least let you know of his early years; most
importantly,they would enlighten you as
to how Puleston came to love
nature and deeply respect the
need for its continued health.
For those who actually met
Puleston after he relocated here in
1948, you already know the impact
this man has left on everyone
who had an interest in the relationship
between land, water and its inhabitants -
animal, plant and human life. From the
wonderful vantage point of his family
farm in Brookhaven Hamlet, he studied
the surrounding environment piece by
piece and eagerly shared his knowledge and enthusiasm with others - including
Cooley and the early SEQ members. He also was a master illustrator. He worked
extensively on environmental issues and concerns. He co-founded the
Environmental Defense Fund with Cooley and SEQ, an organization that
prospers today and is perhaps the best example of the passion for the
environment that these two individuals shared for over forty years.
For Puleston’s Memorial Celebration, held at his home on June
16, 2001, Cooley wrote a collection of stories about him, “Dennis
Stories,” which captured the spirit of this extraordinary man and the
remarkable things he did.
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