Wallace Henry Hulseman was born in Chadron, Nebraska, to Henry and Frieda Hulseman on Feb. 13, 1935, late at night. So close to having a Valentine’s Day baby, his mother Frieda simply decided to celebrate his birthday on the 14th. Starting at age 50, this decision led to countless paperwork disasters when he discovered his actual birthdate when applying for his first passport.
Wally grew up on a farm south of Chadron and attended a one-room schoolhouse through eighth grade. He was in 4-H and raised the Grand Champion sheep multiple years in a row. At 13 years old, he moved to Mrs. Kieffe’s boarding house to attend Chadron High School. During the 1949 blizzard, he didn’t have any communication with his parents out on the farm for six weeks.
After high school, Wally made money by learning how to shear sheep. He could shear about 120 sheep in a day. The reason he wasn’t any faster, however, was because he took extra care not to injure the sheep, which the farmers loved. He continued shearing each spring for decades.
Wally then finished one year of college before enlisting in the Army to fulfill the family’s draft requirements. After Basic Training, Wally accepted the Army’s offer to increase his pay from $65 to $120/month if he joined the 82nd Airborne as a paratrooper.
After the Army, he returned to Chadron to finish college. In 1958, he married Delores “Punk” Konrath. His friends, who were in charge of his vehicle to get his new bride to the reception, pranked him by providing only a wheelbarrow (and, considerately, a bedsheet to protect the wedding dress). This was the start of the unstoppable “Punk and Wally” duo that forever loved each other. Through good times and hard times, Punk and Wally always figured it out. They were married for 63 years until Punk passed away in 2022.
He graduated from Chadron State College with a “Science and Math Composite Major”. After graduation, they moved to Lingle for his job as a junior high math teacher and the assistant football coach. Four years later, they moved to Guernsey where he taught math at Guernsey-Sunrise Junior High for 28 years until his retirement in 1992. To this day, his family cannot visit Guernsey without someone exclaiming, “he was my math teacher!” We are honored that you remember him, and he often remembered his many students.
He was a fabulous dad to his three children: Darcy, Debra, and Todd. He taught them many practical skills at home as well as three years of math at school. During summers, he mapped out great family trips with their camper across the United States and Canada.
Some iconic things about Wally include his perpetually combed and styled hair (the “Wally Wave”), his sharp sense of humor, and a deep love for his community. The two stone signs for Guernsey State Park were designed and built by him and two different crews of Youth Conservation Corp students. He also served on the city council. As the President of the Lions Club, he spearheaded the installation of the street signs still used in town.
Wally turned the tiny, rundown house they originally rented into a larger, beautiful home with his constant remodeling and the big sunroom addition. He was always busy with gardening, woodworking, hunting, making elk jerky, cooking, napping, or watching football. In retirement, he also worked at the Suncor Pipeline. He and Punk also drove motorhomes from the manufacturers to the dealers across the country; they cleverly arranged these trips to visit many friends and vacation sites on their return trips.
Wally and Punk filled visits to their grandchildren with stories, homemade applesauce, travel souvenirs, river floats, and games of cribbage.
In 2021, Punk and Wally moved into a senior living facility in Brighton, Colorado, where they were only a few miles away from their daughter Darcy. In Brighton, Wally was well-known for collecting toy sheep, putting jigsaw puzzles together, and playing Pinochle. Everyone in the dining room enjoyed it when his adorable great-grandchildren joined him with their waving and toddling.
Wally will be remembered as a man who was firm in his integrity, but soft and kind with the people around him. Wally cultivated a kind soul shaped by both love and the true spirit of grit.
He passed away peacefully on June 14 in Brighton. He was preceded in death by Henry Hulseman, Frieda Smith, Delores Hulseman, Earl Hulseman, Joanne Evans, William Lemen, and David Palmer. He is survived by his sister, Joan Lemen, and his children: Darcy Palmer, Debra Hulseman, and Todd (Kimberly) Hulseman. Wallace was “K-pa” to his grandchildren Makayla (James) Lavender, Nathaniel Palmer, Douglas (Kyla) Palmer, and Rachael Palmer. He is also “Papa” to his two great-grandchildren, Monica and Wesley Lavender, who brought him great joy. Arriving shortly after his death was another great-granddaughter, Lydia Lavender.
If you’d like to make a donation, he loved St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
To remember him, grow or eat the absolute best tomatoes, get involved in your community, and always follow through on your word.
