Chester Forrest Hulett, also known by most as "Bump" Hulett, 90, (formerly of Pattonsburg, MO) passed away Monday, April 7, 2008, at the University Community Hospital in Tampa, FL. after a brief illness. Having lost his wife, Shirley, of 63 years on January 18, 2008, Chester had gone to live with his son, Stanley Hulett, and his family who reside in the Tampa area.

Chester was born on October 15, 1917. He is survived by his children and their families, Steven F. and Milenna M. Hulett, Vandalia, MO; Margaret M. Bucher, Loveland, CO; Stanley M. and Doreen K. Hulett, Tampa, FL; 9 grandchildren and 10 great grand children. He is also survived by two brothers, Kenneth E. (Bill) Hulett, LaCyne, KS; Eugene R. (Gene) and wife Twila Hulett, Bethany, MO as well as a host of nieces, nephews and their children.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley Margaret (Foreman)Hulett; parents George Chester Hulett and Dorothy Mae (Carter) Hulett; siblings, Ermal Detro(Det) Hulett; Edna Lucille Russell; Izola Ruth Steele; Helen Marjorie Hulett; Hazel Marie Johns; Norma Kathleen Hulett; Gerald Leslie (Jim) Hulett; Glenn Clifton Hulett; Peggy Joyce Hulett and Frankie Lee Hulett.

Chester was born at his grandfather Carter's farm in Benton township northwest of Pattonsburg, MO. The third child of thirteen, he grew up on several farms in the McFall, MO area where his father worked as a tenant farmer. He attended primary country schools of Heath, Crossroads, and Grandview. In 1930, Chester moved with his family to Pattonsburg, MO where he graduated from high school in 1937. He worked at several jobs while in high school and was employed for five years with Morris Oil Co. before joining the Marine Corp in 1942. He served most of his WW II enlistment in California and on the South Pacific island of American Samoa . During his service as a Marine he obtained the rank of Master Sergeant and qualified as an Expert Rifleman. Until his death, he maintained contact with several comrades whom he met during that period of time.

On June 29, 1944, Chester married Shirley Margaret Foreman in Excelsior Springs, MO. After a brief honeymoon, Chester went back to finish his tour of duty and Shirley lived with her parents until Chester was discharged from the Marine Corp in 1946. Upon his return to the Pattonsburg area, Chester worked for and was promoted to manager of the Richardson Lumber Co in Pattonsburg. In 1948, he became a Rural Letter Carrier out of the Pattonsburg post office. Over the next 27 years, he carried the mail on routes which served the communities of Santa Rosa, Coffey, and Pattonsburg, Mo. In addition, Chester found time during this period to farm and he enjoyed raising cattle, hogs, horses and chickens. He retired from the Postal Service in 1975 and farmed fulltime until selling the farm and moving to Bethany, MO in 2001.

Chester was a member of the First Baptist Church of Pattonsburg since 1948. He has served in numerous capacities as teacher, choir member, and Deacon. He was ordained as Deacon in 1959 and actively served his church until his health began to fail in recent years. He also served the Pattonsburg area over the years by serving as a Pattonsburg town board member and as a Pattonsburg R-II School board member.

Chester's family not only knew him as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather but also as a great story teller of life's events as he had experienced them. From telling of the time as a 10 year old child he walked 6 1/2 miles to McFall to purchase his first sack of fire crackers or leaving high school during the Great Depression and traveling as a hobo on trains to find work and food, to serving his Country, or raising his family, ….the values of honesty, hard work, and integrity were always the core issues of living his life. He was always more than happy to share his insight into the problems of life and how God, country, and community influences those experiences.

He will be greatly missed by family, friends, church, and community.