Cecil M. Hulsey

FARMINGTON – Cecil M. Hulsey, a long time Farmington business owner and community champion, passed away July 15, 2019, at his residence in Olathe, Kansas, at the age of 94. He was born in Doe Run, Missouri, on January 29, 1925, to the late Floyd Hulsey, Sr. and Elizabeth (Yount) Hulsey. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his daughter, Jane Ellen Cochran; brothers, Alvin, Floyd, Jr., Willis, and Earl Hulsey; and sisters, Helen "Suzi" Noltkamper and Maxine Price; and son in- law, William Staats.

After graduating from Doe Run High School in 1942, Mr. Hulsey enlisted in the Army Air Corp. He was based in Guam during World War II and was the flight officer and radio navigator of a B-29 Superfortress named the "City of Farmington". For his service, Mr. Hulsey received the coveted Distinguished Flying Cross. A 1/10th model of that plane hangs in the Farmington Regional Airport and the pilot's lounge "The Lonesome Polecat" houses some of his memorabilia from that time.

After he returned from WWII, he attended Flat River Junior College where he was a member of the PHI THETA KAPPA, Lambda chapter. Mr. Hulsey then began work as a solicitor for the C.C. Gower Insurance Company in 1947 and later became a partner in the business and eventually the owner.

He married Norma Jean Gordon on October 12, 1947. Because of the training he received in WWII, Cecil was recalled into service for the Korean War and flew 30 missions with the Strategic Air Command.

He moved the Cecil M. Hulsey, Inc. office to 32 East Liberty Street, Farmington, Missouri, where the office of Coldwell Banker Hulsey Real Estate is located today. During his 69 years in business, Mr. Hulsey was a founding member of the Mineral Area Board of Realtors and served as its president for 2 years. Mr. Hulsey was a licensed Real Estate Appraiser as well.

He was one of the first members of the Farmington Chamber of Commerce and received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 and the Farmington Regional Chamber of Commerce's Daily Journal/Farmington Press Citizen of the Year Award in 2016. Cecil was also a member of the VFW Post 5896, the Elks Lodge #1765, the Farmington Industrial Development Authority, and was a long-time member and two-time secretary of the Rotary Club. While living in Farmington, Mr. Hulsey was a member of the First Baptist Church of Farmington.

Cecil and his wife Jean loved to travel, visited much of North America and Europe, and enjoyed beach vacations with their family in the summer. He was also an avid tennis player and played weekly with a group of friends into his eighties. He enjoyed playing chess with his grandsons and son in-laws. He was an accomplished gardener and his family and friends enjoyed the fresh vegetables and beautiful roses he grew every year.

Mr. Hulsey retired in 2016 at the age of 90. He loved what he did for a living and never considered it work. He and Jean relocated to a retirement community in Olathe, Kansas, in 2017.

Survivors include his wife of 71 years, Jean; daughters, Ann Staats of Naperville, Illinois, and Sarah (Ben) Smith of Shawnee, Kansas; granddaughter Meredith (Jeff) Christensen of Verona, Wisconsin; grandsons, Andrew (Rachel) Staats of Longmont, Colorado, Matthew (Sara) Cochran of St. Louis, Missouri, and David Cochran of Kansas City, Missouri; great-grandson, Graham Stier of Verona, Wisconsin; sister, Barbara Merseal of Farmington, Missouri; sister in-law, LaVerne "Babe" Hulsey and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.

A memorial visitation will be held on Friday, July 26 from 4:30 p.m.-8 p.m. at Cozean Memorial Chapel. Visitation will resume on Saturday, July 27 from 7 a.m. until time of service at 10 a.m. in the Cozean Chapel. Inurnment to follow with full military honors at Parkview Cemetery. Memorials, if desired, may be in Cecil's name to the: Jane E. Cochran Memorial Scholarship Fund, MU Sinclair School of Nursing, s219 School of Nursing, Columbia, MO 65211 or the American Cancer Society, 4207 Lindell Blvd, St Louis, MO 63108. View the video tribute, the obituary and share your condolences at cozeanfuneralhome.com.