Harold H. Hyde

Harold Henry Hyde, 95, Town of Russell, Bayfield, WI, passed away Thursday March 12th, 2020. He was born in Albia, Iowa to Mertell and Gladys (Stover) Hyde. In October of 1948, Harold was married to Bertha Lohman also of the Town of Russell.

Harold is survived by five of his six children: Yvonne (Steven) Cox, Raymond (Tara) Hyde, John (Kathryn) Hyde, Teresa (Daniel) Weber, Donald (Helen) Hyde; Grandchildren: Jeremy, Christopher, Peter, Benjamin, Dustin, Andrew, Joseph, Alexander, Sarah, Elise, Andreah, Ethan, his sixteen great grandchildren and two great- great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Geraldine Meyers and his brother David (Wanda) Hyde.

The years 1942-1946, were defining for Harold as he served in the US Navy in WWII in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. He served on the LCI Flotilla Flag Ship. He continued comradely with veterans as an active member of the VFW post in Red Cliff.

In his working years, Harold was a heavy equipment operator for Universal Atlas Cement Company in Gary New Duluth, and custodian and chief boiler technician for the Esko, MN school system. Harold was an entrepreneur working as a rhubarb farmer, herring picker, logger, cabbage harvester, artificial inseminator with Carnation Genetics, volunteer fireman for the Esko Fire Department, and weaver of tens of thousands of hand woven rag rugs. Harold was a jack of all trades and a master of some.

He loved to hunt, providing food for his family his whole life. In retirement, he traveled out west several times hunting elk. He made a delicious loaf of homemade bread, and shared it with many. He was a founding member of Bayfield Farmer’s Market. An extraordinary gardener, even resurrecting the green beans from the Knight Cannery in Bayfield after finding a jar of dried seed. Last summer was his best dill pickle making year yet. He had a quick wit that he liked to use on any unsuspecting bystander. He was the king of corny jokes, he swore like the sailor he was, and he was like a father to more than the 6 who called him dad.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Mertell and Gladys Hyde; Bertha, his wife of sixty-one years; his daughter Christine Loe, and four brothers and eight sisters.

Visitation will be held at Bethesda Lutheran Church in Bayfield on Tuesday evening, Mar 17, 2020 from 6 to 8 PM, and continuing from 10 AM on Wednesday until the hour of service.

A funeral service for Harold will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday March 18th, 2020 at Bethesda Lutheran Church.

Internment will take place in the Greenwood Cemetery following the service, with Military Honors under the auspices of the Duwayne Soulier Memorial VFW Post #8239.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Mountain Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ashland and Mellen, WI. Online condolences for the Hyde family may be left at MountainFuneralHomes.com