Deloy Hope

Deloy (Del) Hope, Meridian, Idaho, passed away on June 1, 2019, at the Boise VA Willow Hospice with his wife and daughters at his side. He was 87 years old.

Del is survived by Lanette, his wife of 56 years; his daughters Tracy (Jim) Hadley and Christine (Mike) Mihalisko; his grandchildren Tyson (Kate) Hupp, Chelsea (Daniel) Johnson, Megan Mihalisko and Stephen Mihalisko; and great grandson Dean Hupp. He is also survived by his siblings Monna Philyaw, Lyngary Hope, and Kenneth Hope; former sons-in-law Jerry Hupp and Rich Cron; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his daughter Lonnie Hupp, his brothers Warren Hope and Darwin Hope and his sisters Ann Sorensen and Beth Reed.

Deloy was born on June 8, 1931, in Rexburg (Salem), Idaho, to Lee and Emma (Fisher) Hope. He was raised in Boise, Idaho, graduating in 1949 from Boise High School. Del was inducted into the Army in 1951 and was the 5000th man to graduate from the Signal Corps Replacement Training Group in Georgia. Deloy spent the majority of his military service at Fort Richardson, Alaska during the Korean War. He was released to the U.S. Army Reserve in 1953, and honorably discharged in 1956.

Deloy married Ruth Webb in 1954 and had two daughters, Tracy and Lonnie. He married Lanette Orr in 1963, and they had a daughter, Christine. He seemed happy to add some men to the family when his daughters married, so he wasn’t so outnumbered by females!

Del mowed lawns to earn money as a teenager, and worked as a bellman at the Boise Hotel. He attended Boise Junior College for a year after his military service, and worked for Sears in the warehouse. He then became a commercial and residential painting contractor for the remainder of his employment years. He was on the pit crew for Warn Culver’s ‘jalopy’ in the early years of auto racing in the Treasure Valley, drove a ‘bomber’ stock car at Meridian Speedway in the 1990’s, and supported his daughters, sons-in-law, and grandkids in all of their circle-track or drag racing activities. His hobbies included reading (especially novels about WW II), gardening, camping at Redfish Lake and Ponderosa State Park, traveling in their RV to Cascade and the annual Orr family reunions, and watching auto racing either on TV or in person. He enjoyed the occasional trip to Jackpot with his brothers and sisters, and watching poker tournaments on TV. He was known for telling corny jokes. Above all, he loved his family and took care of them to the best of his ability.

Del’s family wishes to thank the VA Home Health Care team, Harrisons Hope Hospice team, the Idaho State Veterans Home staff, and the VA Willow Hospice staff for the exceptional care provided to him throughout his years of illness.

Del was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, East Meadowgrass Ward. A viewing/gathering for family and friends will be held at Relyea Funeral Chapel, 318 N. Latah St., Boise, Idaho on Wednesday, June 5, 2019, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Funeral services for Deloy will be at Relyea Funeral Chapel on Thursday, June 6, 2019, at 1:00 pm. Grave dedication will be Tuesday, June 11 at 1:00 pm at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery, 10100 N. Horseshoe Bend Road.