Harold Edward Tuma

Harold (Hal) Tuma, 91, died peacefully, in Casper, surrounded by his family.
Hal was born Cotesfield, Nebraska in 1923, to Edward Tuma and Carrie Poss Tuma. He moved to Cushing, Nebraska at the age of three, then to Glenrock, Wyoming at the age of 13. Hal graduated from Glenrock High School in 1941 where he played football, basketball and was Student Body President. His first love was baseball and after graduating he hitchhiked to Kansas to attend a well known baseball camp.

Hal served his country in WWII as a Corpsman attached to the Marines in the South Pacific fighting in battles on Bougainville and Guam.

He played baseball for the Saint Louis Cardinals farm club for a time after returning home from overseas. In the late 40's and 1950's he played baseball and softball with various local teams. In the 1960's he coached Little League teams, and as his teams grew up he moved to coaching the older boys in Connie Mac league. Hal loved passing on his knowledge and love of baseball to the youth of Casper.

He married JoAnne Tulloss December 4, 1944 in Long Beach, California. After Hal finished his service in the Navy, he and Jo Anne moved to Glenrock, Wyoming and both worked for Socony Mobile. In 1950 they moved to Casper, and in 1951 they purchased Shade-Rite Venetian Blind Co., which later became Shade-Rite Inc. They were partners in that business for 38 years when they retired they sold the business to their nephew.

Hal was very active in the community with the Casper Mountain Lions Club, and truly enjoyed working on the Braille Trail, one of the many Lions Club projects. He and JoAnne were members of the Casper Country Club and were avid golfers. He was a past President of the Casper Country Club and The Casper Mountain Lions Club. In the winter months he loved to snow mobile and was known by his friends as a wild man on a snow mobile. After retirement he and JoAnne continued to travel for golf and snowmobiling and Hal continued these activities into his eighties.

He is predeceased by his loving wife JoAnne Tuma and is survived by his children Suzanne Tuma, Dianne Foreman, and Mark Tuma. Hal is also survived by four grandchildren, Brianne Foreman, Jeffrey Foreman, Amber Tuma, and Bret Tuma and his companion of many years, Glenda Santoni. Hal will live on through the memories of those who knew him well.

His daughter Suzanne remembers a Daddy who built a wooden sled for her and pulled her up and down the street on that sled. As well as the child size chair and table he built in the early days, when money was tight. He also used his skills to make a swing set from iron pipes and refurbished a used bicycle. We had fun going on picnics and eating a slice of watermelon in an aspen grove. The simple times were the most fun.

Memorial will be private. Memorials may be sent to the Casper Mountain Lions Club Charities or Central Wyoming Hospice.

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