Austin Hulcher

Austin Wayne Hulcher was born Dec. 29, 1931 in Springfield, Ill., son of Adolph Hulcher and Blanche Lorton Hulcher. He grew up during the Depression and lived on a self-sustaining farm south of Virden, Ill. At an early age, he raised chickens and learned to operate numerous farm tractors and equipment.

Austin graduated from high school in 1949. He soon took over the family farm and AE Hulcher & Son Trucking. In 1951, he married his high school sweetheart, Mary Ellen Lomelino.

Austin was an entrepreneur in his business endeavors – farming and livestock, operating heavy equipment, trucking, Unocal 76 jobber serving Tri County Oil and other truck stops. He helped to set up divisions for Hulcher Emergency Services. Austin obtained a pilot’s license and flew a single engine plane for business.

In 1986, Austin and Mary Ellen moved full-time to Fountain Hills, Arizona.

Austin was a member of Ansar Shrine, Virden Masonic Lodge #161, Royal Arch, Carrolton Council, Knights Templar, St. Omer Commandry No. 30, Illinois Farm Bureau, Virden Methodist Church, “The Fountains” a United Methodist Church, past member of Fountain Hills Lions Club and Fountain Hills Masonic Club.

Austin was a volunteer for the American Red Cross. One of Austin’s most fulfilling experiences was helping to build the structures of two new United Methodist Churches; Virden, Illinois and Fountain Hills.

Austin was most proud his 73 years of driving nearly 3 million miles, plus 6,000 hours as a pilot, all with no accidents.

His greatest passions were travel, geography, boating and flying. Austin visited all 50 states, five continents and 22 countries. His biggest adventures were rafting the Grand Canyon, driving the Alaska Highway, flying breeder stock to Bolivia for Heifer Project International, exploring the Lewis and Clark Trail and “jeeping” the backroads of Arizona, Colorado and Utah.

Austin was a man of few words, but never knew a stranger. He was loyal, ambitious, patriotic, supportive and generous. He loved a good game of golf, ping pong and shuffleboard.

He will truly be missed by his wife of 68 years, Mary Ellen Hulcher; daughters, Deanna (DeDe) Rudolphy, (Craig), Fountain Hills, Sonya Rose Garrett, (Randy) Redmond, Wash., and Yvonne Ruth Wyman, Fountain Hills.

Grandchildren include Derek Lancaster, Justin Garrett, (Julia), Carrie Garrett Huseman (Stephen), Audrey Garrett Lanzer (Bill), Colton Wyman, and Hunter Wyman,

step-granddaughter, Amy Applegate (John), step grandson – Griffin Wyman; six great-grand-children, Elliana, Austin, Crew, Sawyer, Brinn and Cora; step great-granddaughter, Rory D. Applegate, (Bruna).

A service of celebration for the life of Austin will be held Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019 at 2 p.m. at The Fountains – A United Methodist Church, 15300 N. Fountain Hills, Blvd., Fountain Hills, AZ 85268.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Fountains UMC, memo “Memorial Garden,” and the American Heart Association.