- Date Of Birth: October 5, 1930
- Date Of Death: July 31, 2020
- State: Missouri
Laura Ruth Hulse, age 89, of Kirksville, MO passed away at 12:55 pm Friday, July 31, 2020, at her home for the past five years, Highland Crest Assisted Living in Kirksville.
Laura was born October 5, 1930, in Rensselaer, MO to F. Ward and Martha Ellen Tompkins Hulse.
Surviving are a brother, Roy, Godfrey, IL; seven nephews and nieces-Danny (Caroline), Randy (Paula), Michele Daniels (Steve), Lisa Cunningham (Jeff), Eddie (Kym), Terry Thurston (Eric), Kirk (Diane); 13 great nephews and nieces-Ryan (Leticia), Tim (Laura), Kelley Greeves (Blake), Neil (Lauren), Brooke Smith (Cliff), Sydney Borgmeyer (Josh), Clinton Daniels (Amy), Jourdan and Shelby Cunningham, Tyfani Nagy (Kris), Erica McDermott (Brian), Carley Arnsman (Josh), Drew (Tori); and 20 great-great nephews and nieces-Selby, Edward, Burton, Cecelia, Anna, Samson, Bennett, Mason, Ella, Mack, Lincoln, Jackson, Connor, Charles, Riley, Janie, Deacon, Brinley, Gavin and Camryn and special friend, Janice Legg, of more than 60 years.
Preceding her in death were her mother in 1958, her father in 1981, her sister Mary Ellen Trower in 1999, her brother Francis in 2003, her brother Edward in 2010, her brother-in-law Richard Trower in 1985, her sister-in-law Virginia in 2006, and her sister-in-law Jane Ann in 2016.
Laura graduated from Monroe City High School in 1948, having attended Rensselaer High School the previous three years. She was class vice-president and reporter, played basketball, participated in the junior and senior plays, and sang in the girls’ glee club and mixed chorus. She was an 11-year member of 4-H, during which time she was awarded Jr. Leadership and Dress Review recognition. Laura graduated from Northeast Missouri State Teachers College (now Truman State University) in May 1952 with a B.S.E. in Business Education and in May 1955 with an M.A. in Business Education. She taught at Kahoka High School for three years before joining the Business Education faculty at Northeast Missouri State Teachers College in 1955. Laura did post graduate work at the Universities of Colorado, Missouri and Illinois. She retired from Truman State University in 1988.
Following retirement, she traveled extensively, including Europe, Scandinavia and Leningrad, Russia. She spent the winters of 2001-2010 in the warmth of Arizona. During her university teaching years, she traveled to Mexico, Hawaii, Europe, and took cruises to the Panama Canal, Alaska and the Caribbean. Laura thoroughly enjoyed playing bridge and was a member of three bridge clubs. Quite a notable gift, Laura was a faithful blood donor, having given 79 units, one unit short of 10 gallon!
When Laura was 12, she was baptized at the Rensselaer Christian Church, by the Rev. John William Golden. As a youth, her family worshiped with the Hannibal First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), where Laura placed her membership. She transferred her membership July 10, 1977, to the Kirksville First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), where she served as Church Treasurer, Church Financial Secretary and where for many years, she was “Miss Laura” to the Wednesday LOGOS preschoolers and to the Sunday morning Noah’s Room pre-school class.
