Created to Soar, Including My “Out of Body” Observations

By Carl Hulfachor

Beginning with no electricity or plumbing, it was a hard life for this country boy. There was no love expressed by his father until a Christian brochure, given to an older brother, began to change hearts. A near death observation and a prayer for three desires gave purpose to life for Carl. He writes about events which directed him toward his goals. There were distractions and roadblocks that threatened, but each time God led him back on course. His time in the army helped to further his preparation for reaching his goals and widen his perspective of God’s creations on earth and in Heaven.
A long teaching career presented many opportunities for a positive influence in building character in the next generation. A versatile, self-motivated man, Carl has spent time as a roughneck, farmer, carpenter, preacher, marksman, military specialist, pilot, gardener, coach, and counselor, as well as a teacher. Follow Carl’s journey as he seeks a higher destination than the one presented in his childhood. God continues to lead and bless this country boy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Oct 7, 2022
• ISBN: 9781663245502

Carl Hulfachor

Reared on a farm in southern Indiana, Carl and his siblings invented their own entertainment, and learned to deal with post-depression/wartime challenges. God’s intervention in Carl’s life through an out-of-body experience made immeasurable changes in his life choices. Discover the interesting and unusual course of his life journey.

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Copyright © 2022 Carl Hulfachor.

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Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

ISBN: 978-1-6632-4549-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6632-4550-2 (e)

iUniverse rev. date: 10/05/2022

CONTENTS

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Humble Beginnings

Ancestors

My Sister, Marie

The Outhouse and Cold Nights

Early Farming

A Life for Two Cents

The Ultimatum

Family Salvation

My Cousin and The Ghost

My First Job

Out of Body Experience

Carl and Larry’s Duck Tale

Calluses from Farm Work

Rats

Friends and Neighbors That I Visited

Dealing With Floods

The Raccoon and The Opossum

To Swim or Not To Swim

Fishing With Dad

Surprise Visitors at The Pond

Gigging Frogs

My Pet Raccoon

Butchering Day

Playing Marbles

Getting Rid of Old Blue

Indian Artifacts

Gathering Mussels

Swimming at School

The Walnut Challenge

Halloween Pranks

Christmas and Toys

Chores and Treats

Lessons Learned The Hard Way

The Tree and The Tractor

The Dangers of Farm Equipment

Oil and Coal Under My Feet

Roughneck

Bad Accident

Whipstocking

Working in The Old Round House

Uncle Sam Needed Me

ASA Training in Massachusetts

Heading North to Alaska

Off-Duty Activities

Secret ASA Work

Missionaries in Alaska

A Leave Between Alaska and Arizona

Fort Huachuca

Home to A Cabin by The River

College

Finding A Teaching Job

The Desires of My Heart

Time to Retire

Early Years of Marriage

Building Projects

Our Next Home

Patoka Lake Home

Church

Trees

Thrills and Spills

Match Maker

Strange Sightings

Learning to Fly

Animals in Our Area

Birds and Butterflies

New Life in Heaven

Competing With Roger Maris

Country Challenges

Summer Vacations

Honeymoon

Israel

East Coast

Branson, Missouri

Cancun and A Caribbean Cruise

Bahamas

Florida

Time Changes Everything

A Dog Named Happy

Coon Hunting

Fox Hunting

Beagles

Childhood Dogs

Our Dogs Through The Years

My Brother Roy

Worthwhile Organizations

Legacy

Scripture References

About the Author

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my family, friends, and all who read it. My prayerful hope is that the story of my life and out-of-body observations will assure each person that for a Christian there is no fear in dying. The Bible promises in St. John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Anyone who is not a Christian may call to Jesus and ask forgiveness, repeating the sinner’s prayer as instructed in this book.

Remember, we have a great mansion waiting for us. God bless all, as He has blessed me.

Looking forward to soaring in Heaven with the angels,

Carl Hulfachor

St. John 14:1-3

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Through the years, people have suggested that I should write a book about my life. I was remembered by my students because of the stories I told them. It was a motivational tactic that seemed to work well. My class worked diligently on assignments so there would be time for a story at the end of the day. Others who heard some of my stories thought they should be shared more widely. My life has certainly followed a different course than most people.

Now, as I reach the sunset of my life, I have decided to fulfill that assignment. With my advancing age, however, I needed help to remember many details. Therefore, I owe thanks to many people for their time and knowledge, in gathering information for this book. First, I must thank members of my family who have helped me through the years. My wife, Jessie, must be at the top of the list. This book would not be possible without her. My brothers, Roy, Homer, Larry, and sister, Jane, have provided many insights into family history and story details. Larry is basically a co-writer of my book since we were together through our childhood escapades. We two have been there and back! My cousin, Nancy Hoggatt, and husband, Nelson, have been invaluable in making suggestions and editing to prepare my manuscript for publishing. My nephew, Vernon Hensley, reminded me about events I had forgotten but deserved to be recorded.

Special thanks go to Jack Spaulding, author, for sharing his extensive knowledge of the outdoors. He has researched and written about nature for over four decades, is featured in a syndicated column, and has published books filled with his amazing stories.

I will be forever grateful for those people who influenced my development mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Encouragement is so vital for a person’s well-being. My sister, Marie, was the greatest influence in my early days, making me feel loved and special. George Johnson was God’s messenger in guiding me spiritually while I was in Alaska. His Godly manner was a beautiful example to attempt to emulate, as were other ministers in my youth.

I must express my appreciation to many people who have offered encouragement and prayer through thick and thin times. Some of those dear people are Hanna and Rex Hensel, Ron Cottingham, Gene Lane, Art and Jane Stewart, Mindy and Dan Elmore, Ron and Betty Plumer, Tom and Jude Campbell, Max and Penny Jacobus, Ron and Norma Gee, Jeff and Peg Gee, Ronna and Mike Alexander, Forrest and Bea Taul, Cynthia Crawford, Robert and Brenda Akin, Chuck and Angie Crawford, Herman and Nilah Collier, and Charles Jellison. To all others that should be on this list, I apologize for the omission. All encouragement and prayer are certainly valuable and appreciated. I sincerely thank you all.

I Thessalonians 5:11

INTRODUCTION

The story of life and death was designed by God. We determine the direction it will go. This book will give an account of many things I have done. A more accurate account is written in heaven. I have lived over 86 years. The Lord has shown me that I am at the sunset of life. This book will describe many events that have directed my journey through this world.

In 1935, the year in which I was born, our country was quite a contrast to the way it is today. Prices were amazingly low. Gas was $0.10, milk was $0.47, and the average annual income was $1,632.00. The president was Franklin Roosevelt and life expectancy was just under 60 years of age. At 86, I would have been quite unique back then. I guess I am old in any era though! One big event was the beginning of Social Security. Some insist that these were the good old days. With retirement and social security, I was able to retire 25 years ago. These have been good old days for me! Of course, I paid into social security for over 40 years.

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HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

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I WAS BORN IN GIBSON COUNTY, Indiana at Gordon Hills, a rural farm area. There, in a humble four room house, I was delivered by a doctor who traveled by model T Ford. My brothers and sisters were all born at home out in the country. I bet the angels in heaven rejoiced, for this family was destined to occupy a great mansion designed by God. Many of my brothers and sisters are there today waiting for the rest of us to arrive. Our dad and mother are there with sisters Marie, June, and Beulah Marie. Brothers in Heaven include Stanley, Homer, and James Max. The brothers remaining are Carl, Larry, and Roy. Jane is the only girl remaining.

We are all Christians, having received Jesus in our hearts. Therefore, a great celebration will soon erupt in heaven with angels joining in expressing great joy and love. Since Jesus has overcome death, hell, and the grave, we have overcome death, hell, and the grave by the blood of Jesus shed on the cross.

Psalms 121:1-2

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ANCESTORS

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I WAS THE SEVENTH CHILD BORN to Homer E. and Lona Marie Gillam Hulfachor. My dad was the oldest of 6 children and was born in New Madrid, Missouri on April 6, 1900. By 1910 the family had moved to Gibson County, Indiana. My mother was born on August 3, 1906, in Olive Hill, Kentucky in Carter County. She was one of 9 children born to George and Melvina Henderson Gillam in an impoverished area of eastern Kentucky. Olive Hill was home to many American Indians. Indeed, Melvina had a Cherokee Indian grandparent. On Lona’s fifth birthday her father died. At fifteen, she lost her mother just eleven days after her only sister Lucinda died. Both were victims of an influenza outbreak. Lona and her younger brother, Herb, were cared for by their father’s cousin, John Gillam. Lona and Homer Hulfachor became pen pals through a farm journal. After corresponding for some time, he traveled to St. Louis, bought a ring, and then went to Olive Hill where they were married on January 24, 1924. As was the custom, they were shivareed in noisy celebration. Neighbors came banging pots, pans, horns, and possibly shotguns. The more noise the better to disturb the newlyweds on their wedding night. Homer, good-naturedly, provided cigars and candy to the visitors. Homer and Lona traveled by train to Patoka, Indiana and set up housekeeping. In April, Lona went back to Kentucky to get her brother, Herb, and to ship dishes, sewing machine, and other belongings. She was expecting their first child.

The Hulfachor family migrated from Germany where their name was Hoffacker. Our research hasn’t revealed much about their lives there. However, the family can be reliably traced to Pennsylvania in 1772 and then Washington County, Virginia in 1810, where the name became Halfacre, meaning farmer. Soon they traveled from there across the Cumberland Gap into Tennessee and Kentucky, and finally into Indiana and Illinois by 1820. Family members are believed to have fought in the Revolutionary War. They were in the Civil War, fighting for both the North and South. Some were in the Spanish American War and both World Wars, Vietnam, and probably Desert Storm.

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MY SISTER, MARIE

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W HEN I WAS BORN, MY aunt wanted to take me to live in Saint Louis with her. She was very rich and thought she could give me a better life. This was probably true, but love is more powerful than riches.

My mother was always pregnant it seemed. She gave birth to ten children although the first baby died in childbirth. James Max, my brother before me, died only a few days after birth. So, when I was born, my sister Marie, who was nearly ten years old and wanted a little sister, talked my parents into letting her care for me. She became a wonderful mother. We had such wonderful love for each other. I will never forget her as the most loving mother/sister. She is in Heaven where we will share eternity with our Lord Jesus. I shall be there very soon. No brother could have a better sister. I miss her even today. Before she died, I called her and asked if she was prepared for eternity and she replied, I gave my heart to Jesus when I was a teenager. This has blessed me for years. I was in the hands of a sweet Christian sister.

Marie