A Eulogy for a beloved man.

He was 88, a commendable age for a man. He lived a life some would say typified the american dream: He was a businessman and later raised cattle and gravenstine apples on the fertile but arid plains of northeastern Oregon. He watched his town dissapear as it was flooded by the completion of The Dalles dam across the Columbia in 1960. He weathered rock-bottom wheat prices during the late Depression years. He taught himself to fly and had hoped to be a pilot during World War II, but instead served in the Navy. He later enjoyed flying the 600 kilometers between his farm in Arlington and his beloved beach house near the California border in Brookings. He was such a hard-working and kind fellow, perhaps one of everyone's favorite people.

He was the family guardian, and he looked out for my Grandma when she needed the comany or in need of assistace. Walt was an intrigal part of a very close-knit family who has for the most part splintered and its elder members transcended into the next world.

But growing elderly was difficult for him, especially after his wife, Florence died while I was in college at UO. She was his soulmate, and hopefully their spirits are in some cosmic way reunited. He had the strength of an ox and the heart of a blue whale. Not to steal any quippage from Tom Brokaw (well I will, actually) but he was a member of what will probably be seen in history as the greatest generation.) By that of course I mean that his fellow veterans gave the greatest sacrifice and propelled themselves into the highest standard of living America has ever seen.

The next time I find myself driving the lonely, deserted and expansive portion of Interstate 84 between Portland and Boise, Idaho, the memory of my great uncle will be a powerful one. His was an example of how others could be living, have lived and if the world tries to save itself, will have the chance to live in the future.

Rest in peace, we miss you already.

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Below is his obituary published in the Oregonian, the biggest newspaper in the Northwest, save for some Seattle ones...

Walter M. Hulden
Saturday, December 11, 2004
A gathering will be at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, 2004, in the Vancouver residence of Bryan Bickmore for Walter M. Hulden, who died Dec. 8 at age 88.
Mr. Hulden was born Jan. 28, 1916, in Salem. He owned and operated Hulden Motors in Arlington and later was a wheat farmer and orchard owner. He moved to Gresham in 1993. In 1939, he married Lorraine St. Louis; she died earlier. In 1953, he married Florence Yost; she died in 1998.
Survivors include his daughters, Leslie Hoffer and Peggy Oliver; sons, Richard, Bill and Jim; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Remembrances to the Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation. Arrangements by Rose City.