A little background... Many of you may remember that members of our club were soliciting donations for Don Hulse in order to help him attend the "30th" celebration. About two years ago, Don discovered that he had inoperable cancer. Since he had retired early, for that reason, there was a concern that he might not be able to attend. With everyone's help (thanks to you all) he was able to.
Those of you who know Don, also know that he was always willing to jump in and tackle a project, even in the late stages of his illness. He is one of the kindest people I have ever known, as well as having "Fiero skillz" that very few of us possess. He is also registered here, as AeroDonamic, although he very seldom posted. The ins and outs of computers were always a bit baffling to him.
It pains me to report that Don went into hospice care, earlier today. I visited with him for a while, this evening, but he was not awake.
He is at Tranquility At Cobb hospice, in Austell GA. I don't really know anything more, but if anyone wants to contact me, please shoot me a PM or an email at the button above.
Here's a pic of Don at the 30th.
And a pic of the spotless green SE that he maintained.
I remember it well when we were working to get him to the 30th. I am so sorry to hear that he is now in Hospice. At the same time I am so happy that with the forums help, he was able to make the 30th. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.
You may have met Don. He was at the 25th and I believe also the 15th and 20th.
I first came to know about Don when Ed Parks of The Fiero Factory told me about him. He said there was no need to travel from East Georgia all the way to Huntsville for minor Fiero work because we had one of the best Fiero mechanics right here in the Atlanta area. Namely, Don Hulse.
I had purchased my first Fiero in '93 and soon found it was in need of a clutch replacement. A local garage replaced it and within 80 miles the transmission came apart due to their putting 80 w 90 weight gear oil into it. Later at a Fiero Factory Swap Meet was when I was told about Don. The next clutch job went to him, and little did I know at the time that he'd never done a clutch replacement. He often told me that other than routine maintenance of his own, he cut his teeth on dropping a cradle and engine by using my Fiero as a guinea pig. He performed the task with the skill of a master surgeon. Just recently he went through the suspension of one of my cars. While he was working on it, he told me that he cut his teeth on my Fiero and he was ending his career with my Fiero. I am truly honored and blessed.
Even though it was a 150 mile round trip for me, I frequently took my cars to him. In part because his prices on parts and labor were unbeatable, but most of all because of his knowledge and love for the car. Don could tell you just about anything about the Fiero, right down to where you would find screws that were used nowhere else on the car, and the specs of those screws. When the car came back, everything was in place as it should have been from the dealer, even if it was something that he wasn't working on. He would often clean areas of the car that was nowhere near the area he was working, just to make the car look better. If Don only did what you had asked him to do, you always left with more than what you paid for, but he always gave you more beyond what you were expecting.
Don also loved his Karaoke. As the saying goes, "You can't judge a book by looking at it's cover." This might have been originated in describing Don. You would never expect to hear the wonderful sounds coming form him when he got on stage. A great voice. One that he exercised anytime he had the chance. He eventually expanded his theatre from the karaoke stage to the church choir and was very passionate about that role.
Don has battled various illnesses for about as long as I've known him. Unless he told you, you would never know it. He was always upbeat, seizing upon a simple word in something you said and cracking a joke about it. Never did he groan and complain about his health issues. Even when he confided, he didn't complain. I remember when he was returning from a doctors visit and learning of the eventual outcome. He called me to tell me that the news wasn't good, but he wasn't worried. He said he had made his peace with his Savior and he was going to spend the rest of his time doing what he liked to do. Spending time enjoying his Fiero Club, his Fiero, his Friends and his Family.
The Georgia Fiero Club participated in the Dublin, Ga. St. Patrick's Day Parade on March 21. For Don and his son, this would prove to be a day that would start at 5am and end around 9pm. Even though Don had already been told that he needed to go into hospice care, he declined. He said that he wanted to do one last event with his club, and spend his birthday and wedding anniversary with his family. He accomplished what he wanted to do.
Don, we will miss you but never forget you.
I would like to do a special farewell salute to Don at the time of his passing. If anyone would like to participate with their Fiero, please contact me through our club email at GeorgiaFieroClub "at" Gmail.Com
I had the privilege of meeting Don several times through the years and am saddened by this news. I hope that he is able to find peace and an end to his suffering. I am also heartened to hear that he had a great "Fiero" Day on the 21st - it sounds like it was truly a highlight for him and all involved.
I remember it well when we were working to get him to the 30th. I am so sorry to hear that he is now in Hospice. At the same time I am so happy that with the forums help, he was able to make the 30th. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.
At lunch after the Dublin parade, Don entertained us as usual with Fiero stories. He was making the best of, and really enjoying, his last Fiero event. He will be missed at our club meetings (he hardly ever missed one), and our events.
I met Don not too long after I bought my 88 coupe, in '97. I forget exactly how it came to pass, but I was looking for a windshield to replace the cracked one that came as standard equipment in my coupe. I think I found an ad posted by someone, perhaps on one of the mailing lists, for some parts. (Remember... This was WAAAAAY before this forum.) I asked about a windshield, and was given Don's name.
At about that time, I remember seeing an ad in the newspaper about a Fiero club that was meeting at the Hooters in Jonesboro GA. (This was the group that evolved into the Georgia Fiero Club. Ramon Otero, the first club president, and another person "planted the seeds" several weeks prior to that, during a meeting at Stone Mountain.) Don and I both ended up at the meeting at Hooters, and most every meeting thereafter.
Even though many of us worked on our cars, Don became the "official" mechanic of the group, and did all of the serious "heavy lifting". He was good, and he was fast. I've very seldom seen someone who could work as quickly as he could, and still do an exemplary job. At nearly ten years my senior, and even after he got sick, he still had twice the energy that I did.
[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 04-01-2015).]
All... I just received word from Charlie that Don passed last night. I don't have any more info right now. He is going to call and try to find out about arrangements. He or I will post here as info becomes available.
I spoke with Don's son and no arrangements have been set to paper as of yet. Don will be cremated. At some time in the near future, his remains will be taken to Thomaston, Ga. for burial in the family plot.
The special Fiero Salute and Goodbye will be at the burial site in Thomaston, Ga.
I first met Don at the Fiero Factory swap meet in 2008. It was my first Fiero event, and I enjoyed visiting with him. Several months later, I ran into him again at the 25th. By 2010, I began to realize that he was at every Fiero gathering I went to....from Florida, to Alabama, to Michigan. He became a good friend, and he will be greatly missed.
Here is a very rare picture of Don in his car at Run For The Hills 17. It was one of Killboy's highlight photos that week.
What makes it so rare? It doesn't have a bra on it. The story is...shortly after his car was first painted this color, it slipped out of gear in his driveway and rolled into a tree, damaging the front bumper. He replaced it with a black bumper, and covered it with the bra so that nobody would see the mismatched panel. He drove it for years like that. He showed up at RFTH 17 with a fresh paintjob. A couple weeks later, the car again slipped out of gear, rolled down the driveway, and hit the same tree. He covered it with the same bra.
There should be more rules about God taking a life, what with war or children with life threatening ailments.... Seems like the only intervention is loss And if you do beat your ailment (awesomist luck to you!!!!!!!!!!) its human perseverance ya know!
My daughter Melissa (MsDitchDoc) ask that I post this in her behalf.
"Sad day for the Hulse family and the Georgia Fiero Club. Don was a legend in his own right. He was the guru of fixing Fieros. (He helped me out countless times.) He never met a stranger and always made you feel welcomed. I am sure he is in heaven showing God how to fix his Fiero. May his family and friends find comfort in knowing his legacy lives on through the lives he touched."
I am very sorry to hear about Don's recent demise. In addition to being a good mechanic he was a very nice person. Nancy and I will miss seeing him at some of the meets. My condolences to the family.
And if you do beat your ailment (awesomist luck to you!!!!!!!!!!) its human perseverance ya know!
