Richard R. Hulse

Richard Roemer Hulse of Cottonwood passed away on Saturday, May 9, 2015. He was 93 years old. Richard was born in July of 1921 in Phoenix, Arizona to Clarence and Grace (Frisch) Hulse. He grew up in Phoenix, living on Osborn Road directly across from Phoenix Country Club. He was in the very first graduating class of Phoenix Union High School before attending Arizona State University and graduating Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Electrical Engineering. At the beginning of World War II he joined the Army Air Corps as a flight instructor in the primary flight program. In 1943 he was mustered out of the Air Corps, then went on to join the Navy as an aviation electronics technician. At the end of the war he joined the Arizona National Guard and received a commission as a second Lieutenant. He served in the Guard until 1957. During his career, Richard worked for Arizona Public Service as an engineer and in management. 1952 he was transferred to what would become the town of San Manuel. He engineered the electrical system for the town and he and his family became the first residents of San Manuel. He was the area manager for APS and was responsible for providing electrical power to all the Kennecott Mines and company towns in South Eastern Arizona. In 1957 he moved to Flagstaff as the Northern Arizona Division Manager for APS. He was responsible for the development, construction and design of APS portions of Glen Canyon Dam. He served on the Coconino County Parks and Recreation Board. He was responsible for bringing electrical power to all of the Navajo and Hopi reservations in Arizona. In 1978 he moved back to Phoenix where he was in charge of all construction and power lines, among other duties, until his retirement in 1980. Richard and his wife Betty Jean moved to Lake Montezuma in 1980. He played golf three days a week and flew his plane three days a week. While in Lake Montezuma he served on the Lake Montezuma Fire Board and was a volunteer firefighter. Richards hobbies included being an active Amateur Radio Operator from the time he was a teenager and was an active volunteer for the Salvation Army, the Military Amateur Radio Service and the Amateur Radio Relay League. He was an avid golfer, winning his first amateur tournament at Phoenix Country Club in 1950 where he first learned to play as a youngster. He went on to win several other tournaments. He also enjoyed hunting and fishing. Richard was a active in many service organizations including the Civil Air Patrol, El Jebel Shrine, the QB\u0027s (Quiet Birds) and was a 37th Degree Mason. Richard was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Jean and his son, Richard D. Hulse. He is survived by his son, Doug (Carol) Hulse of Cottonwood; his sisters, Virginia Datena of Phoenix and Terry Doucet of Louisville, CO; three grandchildren and one great-grandchild. A memorial service for Richard is planned for Friday, May 22, 2015 at 2 PM, to be held at Cottonwood Village located at 201 E. Mingus Ave. in Cottonwood. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations in Richard\u0027s name be made to the Verde Valley Veterans Park so that his service to his community will live on. To make a donation to this project send to the Marine Corps League, P.O. Box 2286, Cottonwood, AZ 86326. An online guestbook is available to sign at www.westcottfuneralhome.com