Harold was an only child and loved spending the summers working on his grandfather’s dairy farm where he acquired a wide range of skill sets. After graduating high school, he moved to Milwaukee to work at Rex Chain Belt to become a journeyman machinist. Then during WW11 he served in the Army. He was deployed to the Pacific theater and was transferred to a Navy ship where his nickname was “Happy”. There his many mechanical skills proved invaluable to keep weapon systems and others operational on his ship.
When he returned to Milwaukee he was employed as a machinist at Cutler-Hammer, married and had two children. While working full time, he attended Marquette University and graduated with an electrical engineering degree. He remained at Cutler-Hammer but as an Aerospace Design Engineer. Harold had 29 patents and was inducted into the Eaton (formerly Cutler-Hammer) Society of Inventors. His work included the design of control panels used by NASA in their Lunar Lander Module for Apollo moon missions, and collaboration with early astronauts.
In 1978 he moved to Sarasota, Florida to help establish a new design and manufacturing branch of the Eaton Corporation. There he worked as the Engineering Director until he retired in 1989. Harold was also an avid golfer and appreciated the year-round golfing that Florida provided.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Ann Hults. Harold is survived by his son, Stu Hults (Bobby Harper) and daughter, Cheryl Griggs (David). He also leaves behind a dear friend and companion, Mable Cain.
Harold embraced life and always went the extra mile, leaving everything he touched better than he found it. He genuinely cared about people and was always glad to use his many talents to help them when needed, regardless of whether they were family, friends, neighbors or even total strangers.
He was a blessing to all whose lives he touched and we who survive him are forever grateful.
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