Dan Bulkley was born and raised in Thailand to a missionary family. After serving in the Navy during World War II as a member of the OSS, Dan started the track and cross country programs at Southern Oregon University, as well as the ski program which directly led to the development of Mt. Ashland ski area.

Dan became a world record-setting athlete at the age of 70, competing in the Senior Olympics and Masters events all over the world for over 25 years. He lives in Phoenix, Oregon with his wife, Marjorie, and at age 100 still enjoys running, skiing, and gardening.