Harlie E. Nutting Jr.

Harlie E. Nutting Jr. was born on a farm in rural Stafford County Kansas on December 18, 1934 to Harlie and Helen Nutting. He was the eldest of what would be a family of five. After relocating several times during the dust bowl days of the 1930’s, the family settled on a farm near Lewis, Kansas in 1940 where he started grade school. Twelve years later, he graduated high school in nearby Kinsley in 1952. After working part time on a farm for his dad and while attending Kansas State University, he decided to join the US Air Force and did in October 1955; where he would eventually serve eight years in Strategic Air Command (SAC).

After attending various training schools he was stationed at Altus AFB, Oklahoma and then 3 years near London, England. After returning to the states to complete his 8 year tour, he decided not to pursue a military career. He then became an assistant manager for a local farmer’s CO-OP in Rozel, Kansas for a couple of years. From there, he signed-on as a hydraulic design engineer for a cylinder manufacturer in Lewis, Kansas. While there, he met another engineer who wanted to start a new company in Texas to manufacture hydraulic cylinders. After much discussion and careful thought, Texas Hydraulics was formed in Temple, Texas in the fall of 1968. Harlie was one of the 4 original founders as the new company’s chief engineer in charge of all engineering functions. After 34 years of hard work and a little luck Harlie finally retired in August of 2002. After that he worked part time for various companies around the area to occupy his time.

Mr. Nutting died August 6, 2013 in a local hospital.

He was preceded in death by his wife on January 31, 2007 and by his father in 2012.

He is survived by a son, Kyle Dean Nutting of Belton; a daughter, Kathy Diane Smith of Belton; two brothers, Larry Nutting of Great Bend, Kansas and Mike Nutting of Crosby, TX; two sisters, Eleanor Smith of Poway, CA and Rita Giles of Moose Jaw, Canada; two grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Words of comfort may be made to the family at www.crawfordbowerstemple.com

Graveside inurnment services for Harlie E. Nutting Jr., 78, of Temple will be 10 am Monday, August 12, 2013 in the Hillcrest Cemetery in Temple under the direction of Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home.