Walter H. Hyslop

Mass of Christian Burial for Walter H. Hyslop will be conducted from the All Saints Catholic Church in Holdrege, Nebraska on Friday, November 7, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. with Father Thomas Lux, officiating. Rosary will be held at 9:30 a.m. prior to the Mass at the church. Interment will be in the Highland Cemetery at Bertrand, Nebraska at 1:30 p.m.

Walter Hewitt Hyslop, 84 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away on Monday, November 3, 2008 at the Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege. Walter was born on April 4, 1924 on the family farm one mile west and one mile south of Smithfield in Gosper County, Nebraska, the eldest of four children born to Walter William and Lucy Rae (Hewitt) Hyslop. Walt received his primary education from the Southside Rural School near Lexington and then Brady Island Rural School near Brady, Nebraska. He then graduated from Lexington High School with the class of 1942.

Following his education, Walt engaged in farming for Lou Hanson in the Tri-County area north of Smithfield. He then met his bride-to-be, and was united in marriage to Doreatha Mae Colgan on January 3, 1947 at the St. Ann's Catholic in Lexington. To this union four children were born: Joyce Anne, LeRoy Everett, Sandra Sue and Philo Hewitt. The family made their home south of Smithfield, where Walt farmed the Dettenbeck Place. On February 15, 1946 he was inducted into the United States Air Force and served his country during WW II as an Instructor in Military Administration until his Honorable Discharge on March 30, 1947 at Lawry AFB in Denver, Colorado.

Following his discharge, Walt returned to Gosper County and was employed by the Geophysical Corporation of Tulsa, Oklahoma. He traveled the western portion of the United States for eight years before settling to Oklahoma, where Walt was the Branch Manager for the Beatrice Food Company. He completed his education as an Operating Engineer and worked for St. John's Medical Center in Tulsa. Later, Walt was transferred to the Oklahoma Osteopathic College of Medicine in Tulsa for ten years. Following his retirement he established the Black Velvet Angus Ranch and Equine Stables near Tulsa. After a lengthy illness the family moved to Holdrege.

Walt was a member of the All Saints Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus, the Lions Club, the Martin Horn American Legion Post #66 and was active in the Senior Citizens Council. He enjoyed baseball and golf in his spare time. Walt will be remembered for his sense of humor, generosity, kind heart and gentle demeanor. He was proud to be dressed in one of his 42 suits and always said, "If you want to fly with the eagles, you can't dress like a turkey."

Walter leaves to mourn his passing his wife, DeeDee of Holdrege; four children: Joyce Ann Pantry of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, LeRoy Everett Hyslop and his wife, Dianne of Kansas City, Kansas, Sandra Sue McCarter and her husband, Brent of Tulsa and Philo Hewitt Hyslop and his wife, Tara Sue of Sapulpa, Oklahoma; ten grandchildren; fourteen great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Dorene Booker and her husband, Eldon of Holdrege; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; his father-in-law and mother-in-law; two brothers: Louis and Kenneth Hyslop; sister, Boyda Jean McGill; daughter-in-law, Andrea Hyslop; granddaughter, Carol Pantry; adopted granddaughter, Ericka Rodriguez and two sisters-in-law: Delpha Johnson and Dolores Naumann.

Walt will lie in state at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege on Thursday, November 7, 2008 from 1:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

A memorial has been established in his memory and kindly suggested to the All Saints Catholic School.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege in charge of the arrangements.