Gary Gene Hulet died unexpectedly Jan. 10, 2019, on his beloved John Deere tractor. He was born April 21, 1953, to Dick and Cherie Hulet.

He grew up in Copalis Beach, where he shared time with his family and friends. He could be found on the Copalis River in his homemade hydroplane, on the beach or in the woods playing. He graduated from Moclips High School in 1971.

Gary wore many hats in his lifetime. At 14 he took his first job at the Beachwood Resort as groundskeeper. This was the beginning of his long work career. He mowed lawns, worked as a caddy at the golf course, was a state park aid and a charter boat deck hand. After attending Grays Harbor College, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he worked as a technical equipment engineer while living in Texas and Tacoma, his only years living away from Grays Harbor. He then returned to work road construction, before the Log Scaling Bureau and then started Wilderness Construction. He built beautiful log homes and cabins, including his own. Seabrook was his next venture, where he hammered the first nail and poured the first foundations. He retired in 2014, sold his business, G Hulet Construction, and concentrated on retirement and creating the new business, Seabrook Self Storage, with Leslie. He was in the process of building his fifth building when he died.

Gary loved the great outdoors, he thrived in nature. He recently spoke of visiting every state park in Washington. He enjoyed hunting, camping, clam digging and had a true passion for fishing. He could be found, before the crack of dawn, on the river bank with his buddies every day before work.

Gary was a builder of many things, a fisherman, a son, a brother, a father, a Papa. He had an uncompromised love for life and family. He could make you laugh and cry in the same breath. He touched so many lives in so many ways. He will always be remembered as a kind-hearted, generous, fun-loving guy, that couldn’t tell a joke, was not always ‘politically correct,’ loved kids and animals and most of all loved his family and friends.

He is survived by his fiancé, Leslie Devones of Humptulips; his son, Clark Hulet of Hoquiam; his daughters, Trisha Hulet of Seattle, Jamie Hulet of Ocean Shores and Jessica Hulet of Aberdeen; his mom, Cherie Hulet of Copalis Beach; his brother, Chuck Hulet of Montesano; a sister, Brenda (Kelly) McCoy of Humptulips; his step-children, Shawn Richard, Ryan Richard and Heather Johnson and his adoring grandchildren, Jade, Maxx, Luke, Kamryn, Carly, Harper, Aiden, Owen, Grace, Aubrey, Nathaniel and Parker.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made in his memory to The Green Lantern Kids Free Lunch Program, P.O. Box 443, Copalis Beach, WA 98535.

Please share your stories, memories and photos on Facebook at “In Memory of Gary Hulet”.

A potluck celebration of Gary’s life will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019, at North Beach High School in Oyehut/Ocean Shores.

Arrangements are by the Coleman Mortuary, 422 – 5th Street in Hoquiam, Washington.

Please take a few moments to record your thoughts for the family by signing the on-line register at www.colemanmortuary.net.