Donald Lee Hull

On Monday, July 19, 2021, Donald Lee Hull, of Eureka, NV, passed away at the age of 84. 

Don was born on January 16, 1937 in Kearny, Nebraska to Ardis (Guthrie) Hull and George Hull.  He grew up in Nebraska on a farm and graduated from Central City High School in 1955.  After graduating from high school, he spent the next three years in construction and oil field work in Nebraska, Kansas, Texas, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado.  From there he spent two years in the Army, which included a tour in Korea.  Don later came to Nevada through his work in freeway construction and local mines.  This is when he began developing his farm in Newark Valley.  Married previously, Don met Valaire (Blackwood) and they married on February 2, 1988, and began a wonderful life together living on the farm.  He entered the marriage with one daughter, Patricia (P.J.) Vaughn and Valaire had two daughters, Lisa Peters and Donna Ward. 

Drawn to the West, Don arrived in Eureka in the early 60’s.  He established and developed his farm in Newark Valley primarily raising alfalfa and for a while growing and supplying much of the town with potatoes.  He also had several backhoes and a cement truck and could often be seen doing various jobs in town and for the mines.  He was a simple and kind man, who would wear his baseball cap slightly tilted, and greet whomever he met with a smile, simple “hello”, and a firm handshake.  He wasn’t much for the fancy things but was a man of his word and a handshake was good enough for him.  Don was sort of a trailblazer in his own right as he raised his daughter as a single Dad and was a father figure for some of P.J.’s closest friends. As busy as he was, Don was always there supporting P.J. in school, sports, and extracurricular activities.  In general, there wasn’t a child that didn’t steal his heart.

Don was preceded in death by his wife, Valaire (2014) and daughter, Donna (2017), and his parents, Ardis (2010) and George (1967).  Don is survived by his sister, Mona Lou Cohagan of Holdrege, NE, daughters, Patricia “P.J.” (Lionel) Vaughn of Castro Valley, CA and Lisa (Jess) Peters of Spring Creek, NV, grandchildren Lauryn and Sydney Vaughn, Katie and Ross Peters, Joe Ward (Susie), Jason Ward, five great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends in both Nebraska and Nevada. 

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.  In the meantime, please think of how Don touched your life and do a similar act of kindness to pay it forward to someone else.

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