Delbert J. Haselhorst

Delbert and Kay Haselhorst, childhood sweethearts, husband and wife for sixty-five years, parents of four daughters, grandparents of four, great grandparents to six, Air Force pilot and Air Force Wife of the Year, beloved friend and neighbor, are joined together again in earthly rest at Miramar National Military Cemetery.

Delbert Joseph Haselhorst was born on the family farm November 10, 1930, Lynch, Nebraska, the eighth of nine children. Born to farming, he dreamed of flying. In high school, he became fascinated with flying and spent all the money he earned paying a local crop duster to teach him to fly. Graduating from Lynch High School in 1947 with a course in Normal School teacher training, he followed his sisters into teaching. Del spent the 1947-48 school year in a one room school house with three pupils before returning to farming with his father. During the Korean War, Del enlisted in the Air Force in 1951, training as an airplane mechanic. He was selected for the aviation cadet program and began pilot training in March 1953, finishing in single engine jets at Big Springs, Texas. There on May 26,1954 he got his pilot wings, was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, and married Kay Soulek of Verdel, Nebraska.

For the next thirty years, Del flew fighter jets and served as an aircraft maintenance officer, sometimes both at once, at twenty-seven different duty assignments from Alaska to Florida. He flew 170 combat missions in F4 Phantoms out of Da Nang, Viet Nam, earning the Air Medal and the Bronze Star. With extraordinary dedication, leadership and creativity, he advanced from private to a full-bird Colonel. He served as commander of the 43rd fighter wing at Elmendorf Alaska, chief military officer at the McClellan California aircraft overhaul depot, and a stint at Air Force Headquarters at Langley.

Del retired from the Air Force in 1981, settling with Kay in San Diego. He worked as a partner in the Sierra Hotel Construction company. At Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, he was active in charity work, smuggling surplus construction material and busloads of donated goods to the poor in Mexico on a regular basis. He joined the Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol (RSVP), a civilian adjunct to the San Diego Police Department, and served for almost 20 years. He delighted in helping his neighbors with the odd plumbing problem, the faulty light switch, or the dysfunctional stove. He went back to Lynch every year for the annual Banquet, to visit his extended family and old friends.

Del passed away suddenly on April 9, 2020 at home.

Kay Frances Soulek was born in Verdel, Nebraska on May 7th, 1934, the eldest of four. Upon graduating from Lynch High School in 1951, she was employed by the School Board of Red Bird. She rode horseback to teach first through eighth grade in a one-room schoolhouse heated by a wood stove. As the sole teacher in the district, she taught all subjects - but still found the inspiration to write a school song.

As an Air Force wife for the next thirty years, Kay criss-crossed the continent, setting up home in twenty-three different houses. She approached each assignment with a sense of adventure. Kay was always active in her church and community. The Alaska Air Command recognized her as the 1974 Air Force Wife of the Year. In those four years the family was stationed in Alaska, she was a board member of the Susitna Girl Scout Council, a troop leader, and a local PTA leader. She founded the Sourdough Grandparents, an interfaith monthly social linking military families and Anchorage seniors citizens for a meal and conversation. As one of her friends wrote at the time: “‘I’ll take care of that!’ is a familiar response from Kay Haselhorst”.

Whenever and wherever possible, Kay took college courses. She earned a BA in Social Work from the College of William and Mary, Virginia in 1976. She continued at the University of Utah where she earned a special education certification. She taught for fifteen years in the San Diego school system. A relentlessly determined teacher, it was her mission to make certain every one of her students could read, even those with significant impairment. She built a network of volunteers to help her students meet their potential.

Kay was a master of correspondence and sent cards and letters to friends and families acknowledging birthdays, anniversaries and happy and sad events. She was extremely organized and thoughtful in her selection of cards and words, customizing every delivery with stamps and sprinkles. She was active in the Blessed Sacrament Women’s Club and the Golden Girls, a successful investment club.

Kay passed away peacefully on February 3rd with her daughters and sons-in-laws around her after a short illness.

Kay and Del raised four daughters. Each is happily married with careers in engineering, medicine, software and publishing. We girls remember an ideal childhood visiting relatives in Nebraska, seeing the wonders of this country, and as willing volunteers in mom’s community activities. We spent many Christmases together, adding spouses and eventually grandchildren along the way. Kay and Del took grandchildren on a grand adventure across the country by train.

Del had many ‘sons’: nephews, grand nephews, colleagues, and a brother-in-law that he encouraged and offered quiet advice. He was deeply respectful and took joy in their company and choices - whether they became pilots or sought a different path.

Mom and Dad loved a good cruise - or even a bad one. They shared over thirty trips with family and friends. It was a joy to share a cruise with them - Mom a beautiful woman at every age and Dad with sparkling eyes and smile. We like to think of them leaning over the stern of a great ship holding hands, looking out at the deep and starry sky.



In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Smile Train at smiletrain.org, a favorite charity of our parents.