Walter Hewitt Hyslop, 84, of Holdrege, died Monday, Nov. 3, 2008 at the Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege. Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted from the All Saints Catholic Church in Holdrege on Friday, Nov. 7, 2008, at 11 a.m. with Father Thomas Lux, officiating. Rosary will be held at 9:30 a.m. prior to the Mass at the church. Interment will be in the Highland Cemetery at Bertrand at 1:30 p.m. Visitation will be at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2008 from 1:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Survivors are wife, DeeDee Hyslop of Holdrege; four children, Joyce Ann Pantry of Oklahoma City, Okla., LeRoy (Dianne) Hyslop of Kansas City, Kan., Sandra (Brent) Sue McCarter of Tulsa and Philo (Tara Sue) Hyslop of Sapulpa, Okla.; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren and a sister-in-law, Dorene Booker and her husband, Eldon of Holdrege.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his father-in-law and mother-in-law; two brothers, Louis and Kenneth Hyslop; sister, Boyda Jean McGill; daughter-in-law, Andrea Hyslop; granddaughter, Carol Pantry; adopted granddaughter, Ericka Rodriguez and two sisters-in-law: Delpha Johnson and Dolores Naumann.

Walter was born on April 4, 1924, on the family farm one mile west and one mile south of Smithfield in Gosper County, the eldest of four children born to Walter William and Lucy Rae (Hewitt) Hyslop. Walt received his primary education from the Southside Rural School near Lexington and then Brady Island Rural School near Brady. He then graduated from Lexington High School with the class of 1942.

Following his education, Walt engaged in farming for Lou Hanson in the Tri-County area north of Smithfield. He then met his bride-to-be, and was united in marriage to Doreatha Mae Colgan on Jan. 3, 1947 at the St. Ann's Catholic in Lexington.

To this union four children were born: Joyce Anne, LeRoy Everett, Sandra Sue and Philo Hewitt. The family made their home south of Smithfield, where Walt farmed the Dettenbeck Place.

On Feb. 15, 1946 he was inducted into the United States Air Force and served his country during WW II as an instructor in military administration until his honorable discharge on March 30, 1947, at Lowry AFB in Denver.Following his discharge, Walt returned to Gosper County and was employed by the Geophysical Corporation of Tulsa, Okla.

He traveled the western portion of the United States for eight years before settling to Oklahoma, where Walt was the Branch Manager for the Beatrice Food Company. He completed his education as an Operating Engineer and worked for St. John's Medical Center in Tulsa.

Later, Walt was transferred to the Oklahoma Osteopathic College of Medicine in Tulsa for ten years. Following his retirement he established the Black Velvet Angus Ranch and Equine Stables near Tulsa. After a lengthy illness the family moved to Holdrege.

Walt was a member of the All Saints Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus, the Lions Club, the Martin Horn American Legion Post #66 and was active in the Senior Citizens Council.

He enjoyed baseball and golf in his spare time.He was proud to be dressed in one of his 42 suits and always said, "If you want to fly with the eagles, you can't dress like a turkey."

A memorial has been established in his memory and kindly suggested to the All Saints Catholic School. Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege in charge of the arrangements.