Diana W. (Sanders) Hulse died peacefully at Rock Haven Nursing Home in Janesville, Wisconsin on July 16, 2017 at the age of 86. She had faced a long, hard-fought battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Diana was born to parents, Charlie and Madeline (Hutton) Sanders on April 6, 1931 in Stockton, Kansas. She was the second to the youngest of 6 children; later an older sister to two half sisters and three half brothers.
She married Merle D. Hulse on June 20, 1953 in Stockton, Kansas, and the couple had four children. Diana spent most of her life in Stockton, Kansas; but due to failing health, moved to Chanute, Kansas with her oldest daughter, Lila, in 2003 and then to Wisconsin with her youngest daughter, Tammy, in 2008.
Diana was a loving, selfless and devoted mother to her children. She loved babies, her friends, animals, traveling, writing poetry and laughter. Anyone who knew her loved her. She had a courageous, gentle and grateful heart. Diana proudly told everyone she met that she was a cook for 40 years at the Midway Cafe in Stockton. She was a strong Christian and loved her Savior. Before leaving Kansas, the Baptist Church in Stockton became her sanctuary. Her years there seemed to be some of her best.
Diana is survived by her children; Lila (Alan) Dunning, Sharon Hibbard, Jesse (Denise) Hulse, Tammy (Ken) Williams; 10 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren and her sister, Ameita. She was preceded in death by her husband, Merle; her parents, her sisters Marjorie and Zelda, her brothers; Donald and Thornton, her half brothers; Bobby, Marion and Charles, and her half sisters; Rosanna and Roberta.
The family would like to extend a special “thank you” to Ginny Grant, her loyal and loving friend and caregiver. In addition, we would like to thank Agrace Hospice Care for giving Mom, in her final days, comfort, dignity and excellent nursing care. We would also like to thank the staff at Rock Haven Nursing Home for their care of Mom over the last year.
A graveside memorial service will be held at Mt. Vernon Cemetery in rural Stockton at 11:00 A.M on September 2, 2017. The family gratefully declines flowers, but prayers are gladly accepted. Diana spent some of her early years as a nursing assistant at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Hays, Kansas and St. Rose Hospital in Great Bend, Kansas. Memorial donations may be made to the Diana Hulse Nursing Fund in care of the Kellerman Foundation. This fund helps educate young African women in nursing programs in Uganda, Africa. Donations to this fund may be sent to Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, 723 N. First St, Stockton, KS.