Larry Hultz

LARRY HULTZ Remembering Larry E. Hultz ISLAND PARK, ID. — Larry Eugene Hultz, 71, a longtime resident of Island Park and West Yellowstone, passed away on Tuesday, August 11, 2009 in Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, Idaho Falls. Larry was born on August 20, 1937 in Pocatello, the son of Gene and Bernita Hultz. He grew up in Blackfoot and went to St. Margaret's Catholic School. He married Karen Nester in July, 1958 in Blackfoot. They were parents to three beautiful children, Tammy, Lorrie and Danny. They later divorced. He married B.J. (JoAnne) Benson on December 22, 1967 before Rev. A. Brand at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Elko, NV. They are the proud parents of Angela Hultz. Larry had a very colorful childhood, as his family members can attest. However, he did live to grow up and he joined the Army to see the world at the tender age of 17. He was stationed in Germany until his discharge in 1956. While with "the Army of Occupation of Germany" in the 8th Infantry Division he delighted in learning the field of explosives and escaping from "inescapable" places. After receiving an honorable discharge from the military, Larry returned home to the USA and traveled to the West on the Portland Rose. He was always partial to railroads. Larry was employed for a short time at State Hospital South in Blackfoot where he met some of the best friends in life, the Kotrason's. The "boys" would think nothing of spending weeks in the gold fields and streams of the Salmon area. The time to settle in and work came to the forefront and Larry was employed at American Potato, where he became a line foreman. Leaving that much better pay for the Blackfoot Police Department, and then the Bingham County Sheriff's Office was not a hard decision for him to make. His law enforcement career spanned a 32 year run with Blackfoot City Police, Bingham County Sheriff's, back to the City Police, the fledgling State Bureau of Drug Control, then to service as the West Yellowstone Police Chief and finally to the Yellowstone Airport in charge of security during the days of the DB Cooper hijacking. Larry left law enforcement (but it never left him) to make a livable wage in the plumbing and drain repair service. His father, Gene, was a master plumber and had trained his son well. The Yellowstone Drain and Sewer Service, later joined by Surf's Up Septic tank pumping have been faithful servants to the Hebgen Basin, Madison Valley, Big Sky and Island Park area for nearly 30 years. The businesses kept drains and pipes flowing in many older buildings that had not been winterized. Without Larry’s knowledge, many businesses could not have operated year round, and many residents would have been frozen out of their homes. Larry was well known and respected for the patience he always displayed even when confronted with the toughest of jobs. While employed by Montana Aeronautics in the spring, summer and fall, the winters were filled with work at the first guided snowmobile business in West Yellowstone, guiding on his trusty SkiDoo. Larry would leave the house on frigid mornings with the biggest smile on his face — guiding really wasn't work to him — he loved it. Larry snowmobiled until health problems prohibited it. He also enjoyed fishing and boating, which he was able to do up until the time of his death. He loved photography and was good at it. Several of his photos were published in the Island Park News. He also enjoyed learning the computer, games, and chatting with his online gamers across the world at 3 in the morning. He is survived by his wife, B.J. Hultz, daughter Angela, ex-wife Karen, daughter Tammy (Rich) Griffith, Lorrie Ackley, Dan L. (Autumn) Hultz, sisters Sharon (Len) Butterfield of Corvallis, OR; Barbara Hancock of Fountain Hills, AZ; Marilyn (Jerry) Smith of Blackfoot; brother, Dennis Hultz of Phoenix, AZ., 12 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father, Gene Hultz and mother, Bernita K. Hultz. A celebration of Larry’s life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, September 5, 2009, at the Little Church in the Pines in Island Park, with Pastor Ben Moor officiating. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the Larry Hultz Memorial Fund at Yellowstone Basin Bank in West Yellowstone, 216 Grizzly Ave, West Yellowstone, MT. 59758, or to the American Lung Association of the Northern Rockies, P.O. Box 7000, Albert Lea, MN. 567007-8000. ---------------------------------------------------- Condolences received online: Shelly & Bruce Smith shelly@bigfishhappen.com BJ - I'm so sorry for your loss. I hope you can find comfort in your memories you shared together. Our prayers go out to you. Please let us know if you need anything. Bruce & Shelly Smith Randy Neiwirth randuman@gmail.com B.J. I regret your loss. I always got a kick out of Larry and enjoyed our visits. I'm sure you'll miss that wry little grin of his. He was a valiant warrior in the face of all the challenges and trials he dealt with. Take care . . . you will both always have a warm spot in my heart.