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CAPTAIN HAROLD "DUTCH" HUTSELL
July 21, 1935 - August 4, 2017
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Howard
H. (the Dutchman) Hutsell, Jr., Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army Retired,
went to meet his Lord and Savior on Friday, August 4, 2017 at the age of 82. He
was born near Hoxie, Lawrence County, Arkansas on Sunday, July 21, 1935 (Yes, he
was a Sunday's Child) to H. H. and Ruth (Haddock) Hutsell. On his best day he
married his lovely bride Melba Maxine Lilly on December 31st 1953 in First
Baptist Church at Ft. Smith,
Arkansas.
He
attended school in Little Rock and Fort Smith, Arkansas. He was a graduate of
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville (B.A. History) 1961, Oklahoma University
at Norman (M.A. Government) 1974 and Our Lady of the Lake University in San
Antonio (M.Ed. School Administration) 1990. Since he was in the first
grade when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, and didn't like it, he always
considered service to the Nation the highest calling. He proudly served in the
U.S. Air Force from 1954 through 1958 ending as a Staff Sergeant. As a
distinguished Military graduate of the University of Arkansas he was
commissioned into the Regular Army (Field Artillery) in June 1961 and served
until June 1985 retiring as a Permanent Lieutenant Colonel.
In
the Air Force he was a skilled level Jet Engine mechanic and taught Jet Engines.
He later worked on and mission scheduled the famed F-86 Sabre Jet fighter. His
Army service included hard iron Field Artillery and Infantry in Vietnam
War combat,
instructor duty including Military Science at St. Mary's University and lots of
Operations General Staff. He was Senior Regular Army Advisor to the 49th Armored
Division Artillery, Texas Army National Guard.
The
greatest privilege of his life was to be allowed to command brave young
Americans in combat. He thought, with reason, that under his command Battery
"C" 2nd Batallion 9th Field Artillery "The Mighty Ninth" was
one of the very finest Field Artillery combat organizations in the history of
the Republic. On his second Vietnam War tour he was Executive Officer of a
U.S. Infantry Brigade at An Khe and as an Infantry Tactical Advisor was Deputy
Senior Advisor to the 47th Infantry Regiment (Rifle) of the Army of the Republic
of Vietnam. He was awarded the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Legion of
Merit, the Bronze Star Medal
twice, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal
twice, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal thrice, the Vietnam Service
Medal with five campaign stars, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry Medal twice, the
Vietnam Honor Medal 1st Class and fourteen other decorations.
Following
the time immemorial tradition of the Hutsell men he was a life-long member of
the Masonic Order. He was recognized as a fifty year Master Mason in July 2009.
He was an Endowment (life) member of Texas Lodge of Tranquility #2000 AF&AM
and Kendall Lodge #897 AF&AM, Boerne, Texas (Past Worshipful Master).
He was an over fifty year service Endowment (life) member of Sebastian Lodge
#706 F&AM, Ft. Smith, Arkansas, The Van Buren, Arkansas York Rite Bodies
(Royal Arch Chapter, Council of Royal & Select Masters, and Commandry of
Knights Templar) and the Valley of San Antonio A&A Scottish Rite (32nd
degree member). He was also a member of Boerne Chapter #200 Order of the
Eastern Star and of Murat and Alzafar Shrine Temples.
He
taught at John Jay High School for years and was the Social Studies Coordinator
at Pat Neff and Rhodes Middles Schools.
He
was a longtime member of the San Antonio Liederkranz and the Beethoven
Maennerchor. He sang for years in the Choral Choir at St. Gregory the Great.
A
life-long Christian who demanded baptism at age nine he was joyfully home when
he and his precious wife were received into the Catholic Church on the solemnity
of the Assumption in 1992. Their wonderful parish was St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.
He
was a member of the Bejar Caravan #56 of the Order of Alhambra, Immaculate
Conception
Council
#4140 Knights of Columbus, St. Peter the Apostle 4th Degree Assembly #3417 and
Monsignor Anthony F. Drozd Assembly #2102 (Past Faithful Navigator).
He
was preceded in death by the Love of his lifetime Melba M. Lilly Hutsell, Ph.D.,
his "Ginger." She was his cherished wife for over fifty-nine years and
his best friend for well over sixty. He was also preceded in death by his
cousin, Leah Dee Haddock.
He
is survived by his sister, Ann Hays of Jonesboro, Arkansas and her daughters,
Marianne Hays of Jonesboro and Shari Hays of Little Rock. He is also survived by
his cousins, Earl D. Haddock and wife Linda of Mineola, Texas, Jim Haddock and
wife Mary of Jacksonville, Arkansas, Harold Hutsell and wife Nancy of Anderson,
Indiana and Joseph Howard Hutsell of Anderson, Indiana. He is also survived by
his niece, Kim (Lilly) Evans and husband Dave of Allen, Texas and nephew, David
Lilly of Fayetteville, Arkansas.
ROSARY
TUESDAY,
AUGUST
15, 2017
7:00
PM
ST.
ELIZABETH ANN SETON CATHOLIC CHURCH
8500
CROSS MOUNTAIN TRAIL
MASS
WEDNESDAY,
AUGUST
16, 2017
10:30
AM
ST.
ELIZABETH ANN SETON CATHOLIC CHURCH
Rev.
Msgr. Conor McGrath will officiate. Pallbearers will be Earl Haddock, Jim
Haddock, Johnnie Tanner, Dave Singleton, Dave Groepler, Clarence Smith, and Al
Zambrano. Private interment under the auspices of Kendall Lodge #897 AF&AM
and Full Military Honors will follow in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.
You
are invited to sign
the
Guestbook at
www.porterloring.com
***********************************************
TRIBUTE TO CAPTAIN HAROLD "DUTCH" HUTSELL
by Lt Wayne Crochet
I
did not realize that Capt. Hutsell had passed away. I contacted him prior to our
first two reunions and enjoyed our conversation but he declined to attend and I
sensed that reunions were not his thing.
I
was Dutch's second XO in C Battery, having replaced Jon Kuney who rotated
sometime in October or November 67. But before the XO and FDO jobs, I would
regularly visit with him even when I was FO with B 2/35. I was always glad
to close on the battery position to get in a visit and dinner with
Capt Dutch. He was an excellent officer and he and the 1sgt had the battery
squared away. I will never forget how upset he was about Danny Jeter's death on Christmas Day.
I also remember how he and 1sgt would rotate the trips back to base camp to
give everybody a break when they could. In my recent discussions with
him, we discussed his second tour and the differences that a field grade officer
faced compared to the more hands on job of a captain. He was a great
story teller and a great officer and gentleman, a person who I have admittedly
tried to emulate in my lifetime. WTC