WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) released the following statement regarding Major General Evan L. “Curly” Hultman, who passed away Sunday at age 99.
“The Cedar Valley has lost a hometown hero, Iowa has lost a respected public servant and America has lost a lifelong patriot. Barbara and I have lost a dear friend who was a tireless grassroots leader for the Republican Party. His conservative principles and work ethic were unshakeable. Curly hit the campaign trail for decades, from the Iowa caucuses to my own campaigns for elected office. His appetite for politics was whet from an early age, when he attended his first political event for the re-election of President Hoover as a young boy. Curly was larger than life and made life better for those around him.
“A member of the Greatest Generation, Curly put his life on the line for freedom, enlisting in the Army during World War II and serving in the South Pacific. After the war, Curly devoted his life to public service and his fellow veterans. He served as Iowa attorney general and was the Republican gubernatorial nominee in 1964. Curly was nominated by three U.S. presidents for U.S. Attorney and promoted to Major General in the U.S. Army Reserve. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal by President Reagan in 1984 and received the Distinguished Public Service Medal by the Secretary of Defense in 1994. He led the Reserve Officers Association and the International Confederation of Reserve Officers. These accolades underscore Curly’s legacy of leadership, service and sacrifice. However, Curly’s greatest duty and devotion was reserved for his family and junior high school sweetheart Betty, his wife of 73 years. Godspeed, Curly. May you rest in eternal peace alongside your beloved Betty.”
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