Within the last few years, we lost our mother and father.  Deanna Mendes Thompson Hulse passed away 5/31/2020 from cancer.  Ronald Paul Hulse passed away last 12/9/2024 after a long battle with Dementia and Parkinsons disease.

Deanna was born on 2/9/1939 in Alameda County, California.  She passed away at home in Vacaville, California with her loving family by her side.  She and her sister Ellie were the daughters of Eleanor "Elsie" Vierra Mendes and Albert Mendes both from the Azores Islands of Portugal.  She was married to William Thompson in 1955, then to Ronald Hulse in 1962, and they celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary before she passed.  She was a "stay at home Mom" and helped with the automotive business they owned and operated since 1962, "Ron's Muffler Service, in Berkeley and later Oakland, California.  Deanna had a way of meeting celebrities, and was proud of her pictures with Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Willie Nelson.

Ronald was born on 11/7/1937 in Fresno, California.  He passed away peacefully in his sleep in Vacaville, California.  He and his brother Dwight Hulse were the children of Cecil Hulse and Estel Thomas Hulse from Arkansas.

Ronald was a member of USAC - United States Auto Club and BCRA - Bay Cities Racing Association since 1957.  Ron built and owned his first race car and started racing at just 20 years old.  He later drove for other car owners, most notable, the Bob Valencia Family and then the Tom and Virginia Palmer Family.  He won many races and his proudest achievement was when he was crowned the 1973 Indoor Racing Champion. He and his wife Deanna travelled around California in a 1932 Ford, 5 window "Little Deuce Coupe" that he built from the ground up by himself. He was a magician with automobiles and an artist as a welder.  He loved the mountains, outdoors, and loved trout fishing with his family.  He caught his last fish, before Parkinsons and Dementia stopped him, in Kyburz, California near the family cabin they owned for several years.  If he wasn't fishing, he was panning for gold, making metal sculptures, or playing the harmonica.

They were extremely proud of their son and daughter, Donald Thompson and Jeannette "Abby" Mayes.  They both had endless love for their 4 grandchildren, Amy, Taylor, Morgan, and Laurie, 6 great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, Andrea, Karen, Linda, and Rick.

A private ceremony/memorial will be held after the holidays for both Ron and Deanna Hulse with family and close friends.