Edward Ray Hula

Edward Ray Hula

Edward Ray Hula passed away on July 21, 2020 at the age of 78.

Ed was born in April 1942 and raised in Columbia Falls.

He served as a Helmsman in the Navy from 1960-1964, on the Kittyhawk and Lexington. When he returned home, he served as a Columbia Falls policeman for a year, and worked at the local aluminum plant for a short while. Ed then landed a job with the U.S. Forest Service, where he spent 26-plus years as a culturist, retiring in 1997. During his career with the Forest Service, Ed was honored with many awards for excellence including the prestigious Danny On Conservation Award. In retirement he was free to pursue his favorite hobbies: fishing, hunting, restoring and rebuilding guns, fishing rods and reels.

From the time Ed could walk, he wanted to spend his time hunting and fishing the rivers and lakes of Montana. Always an outdoorsman, he passed on conservationism, gun safety and love of nature to his kids, as well as teaching many other kids Hunter’s Safety. In later years, Ed served as a raft and fishing guide for a local Montana company and enjoyed helping people of all

skill levels appreciate the thrill of running whitewater and catching fish.

Later, in retirement, Ed and Joan moved to the North Coast of California to be near family and Ed embraced ocean fishing for salmon, halibut and other bottom fish as well. He continued to repair and restore rods and reels with many repeat customers.

Ed was always willing to provide a fishing rod and reel to a budding young fisherman as yet another way of mentoring young people in the same activity that had always given him so much joy.

Ed is survived by Joan, his wife of 42 years, children Kat Hula Parks, Linda Ives, Joe Hula, Jim Olesen; grandchildren Tom Keplinger, Danielle Hula, Melina Ives and Bailey Ives; and sisters Barb Wallace, Bonnie Wilson and Marna VanLoo.