Glenn Hulcher

Glenn Lloyd Hulcher, 85, of Argyle passed away Tuesday, November 23, 2021 in Dallas. Glenn was born October 3, 1936 in Carlinville, IL. to Melvin Hulcher and Charlotte Lloyd. Glenn married Shirley (Stults) Hulcher on June 10, 1956, in Virden, IL. Glenn started out as a young farmer after his graduation from high school. In the late 1950s he joined his father at M. L. Hulcher Company where he gained his in-depth knowledge of heavy equipment operation, maintenance, and safety. In 1963 Glenn met a railroader at a Virden, IL restaurant who had a need for heavy equipment to respond to derailments. Glenn and his father realized the sideboom equipped crawler tractors they used in the pipeline business would have many advantages compared to rail-mounted cranes or derricks. The sideboom equipped crawlers were able to respond quicker and retrieve cars regardless of the distance from the track. The validity of their theories was proven when given several opportunities to demonstrate it in the Virden area, resulting in that service becoming their primary business rather than a sideline by the end of the 1960s. Although primitive in its earliest years, the concept was readily accepted and recognized by a few midwestern railroads. With various techniques and strategies learned from experience and the development of the ancillary apparatus, the company rapidly grew and expanded. The expansion included inventory of equipment, the number of employees, and the scope of services provided, i.e., engineering, load transfer, environmental needs and locomotive services. The customer base also grew to included refineries, grain terminals and other industries as well as railroads. In 1979 Glenn purchased the business from his father and moved the headquarters of the business to Texas from Illinois in 1985. The company, now known as Hulcher Services Inc., has divisions scattered throughout the United States from New York to California and Texas to Washington, plus providing services in Canada and Mexico. Glenn was known as the legend in railroad and disaster response. He was a true entrepreneur, always researching and keeping current with economic trends. He was a walking billboard for the Hulcher Company, always sporting his brand. Glenn loved the game of football, especially watching from his theater room. He also liked to fish, clog, square dance and ride his motorcycle with friends to new destinations for lunch. Glenn enjoyed his neighborhood dinner gatherings and Wednesday night stogie group where stories were exchanged and the world’s problems solved. His favorite place was Texas and his favorite places to travel were Jackson, WY; Arizona and Barbados. Glenn loved his family, pets, horses and great friends. Glenn will be missed by many, and his memory will leave those who knew him with the knowledge that he loved them well. Glenn was a Charter Member of Rotary and a Paul Harris Award recipient. Glenn is survived by his wife, Shirley of Argyle, TX; son, Brian Hulcher and wife Mandy of Ponder, TX; daughters, Terri Bristow and husband Greg of Pilot Point, TX, and Jennifer Hulcher of Pilot Point, TX; four grandchildren, Brett Bristow, Bryan Bristow, Austin Hulcher, and Brooke Bancroft; five great-grandchildren, Kinsey Bristow, Jackson Bristow, Easton Hulcher, Adaline Hulcher, and Elizabeth Bristow; sisters, Karen Lancaster of Naples, FL, and Dianne Miller and husband David of Fort Myers, FL. Glenn was preceded in death by his parents Melvin and Charlotte Hulcher; sister, Janet Hafercamp; and double cousin, Austin Hulcher. A celebration of life will be held on Friday, January 7, 2022 at 3 p.m. at Denton Bible Church. Online condolences may be shared at www.slaymemorialfuneralhome.com. Memorial donations may be at www.humanetomorrow.org and the NSBA Foundation at www.NSBA.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Terri Slay with Slay Memorial Funeral Center.