Described as a Colonial Revival style, this lovely 3740 square foot two-story house was built by Riter C. Hulsey and his wife, Gloria.  Riter Hulsey was one of Terrell’s most prominent citizens and served as Chairman of the Board for American National Bank from 1986 until his death in 2017.  Mr. Hulsey worked at the bank for 70 years.  He was the first recipient of the “Outstanding Citizen of Terrell” Award in recognition of his lifetime of civic and community contributions.  Mr. Hulsey served on the Terrell Planning and Zoning Commission, Circle Ten Boy Scouts, Terrell Youth Center board, board of trustees for the Medical Center of Terrell, Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce and Greater Terrell United Fund, as well as the Senior Warden of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd.  The Terrell Public Library was dedicated in his honor.

 

Gloria Gill Hulsey was the daughter of Pauline (Allen) and Ben Gill Jr.  Ben Gill Park is named for Gloria’s grandfather, Ben Gill Sr.  She was also an active part of Terrell community service, acting as President of St. Agnes Altar Guild, Good Shepherd Women of the Episcopal Church and the Terrell Park Board.  She served as a member of the 100-year-old Browning Club and the Kaufman County Children’s Shelter. Gloria graduated from Terrell High School in 1939.

 

Beth Searles and her husband Rick purchased the home after Mr. Hulsey’s death, as a part of the settlement of the Hulsey estate in 2019.  Prior to that, the 3740 square foot home had undergone extensive professional renovation.  The original blueprints for the home were found in the attic when the Searles moved in, and are now framed and hanging on the wall in the den.  The unusual floor plan includes two HUGE master bedrooms; one upstairs and one down.  All of the upstairs bedrooms are tastefully decorated with a different theme, giving each space its own individuality and character.  There is a Bohemian Boudoir, an Electric Eclectic and a Rustic Cabin Retreat.  The Christmas trees are decorated to coordinate with these themes as well!

 

The kitchen is Beth’s pride and joy.  Specifically, there is the UNBELIEVABLE walk-in pantry that is definitely Texas-sized.  The brick wall brings warmth and nostalgia to the space, and you will fall in love with the 1950’s retro-style refrigerator in banana cream yellow.  This kitchen is big enough to have a giant Christmas cookie bake-off, with 15 kids and grandkids filling up baking sheets with all their favorite varieties.  Young and old, short or tall, everyone gets together to mix and stir, roll or drop, decorate and sprinkle then eat….. cookies!  This holiday tradition has been passed down through several generations of Beth’s family and is one of the highlights of the year (the pizza parties are said to be monumental as well).

 

Beth’s favorite tree is the “Around the World Christmas Tree”, which is upstairs in the Industrial Room.  It holds a collection of Christmas decorations that have been amassed over the years while on extensive world travels.  There are also those dearly-treasured handmade ornaments that have been saved from childhood and beyond.  Special and sentimental, they help make this room very festive.

 

When touring the downstairs master bedroom, be sure to look for Beth’s vintage figurine of Santa getting dressed to deliver his toys.  This was her mother’s favorite Christmas decoration and it has been on display every year since Beth was a young girl.

 

As if the house were not lovely enough, the back yard is also spectacular.  There is an inviting pool and a large tennis court, which Beth just converted to a Pickle Ball court!  She says she has to keep current with the times, so now she is able to challenge those next generations to some serious competition.  The half -acre property also has a wonderful misting system to keep those pesky mosquitoes away when everyone is outdoors watching summertime evening movies on the open lawn.  What fun!

 

Beth moved from Texas to Georgia and back again; living in Forney and Wills Point before finding her ideal home here in Terrell.  She is quite proud of being connected to the history of Terrell and the legacy of the Hulsey family who built this lovely home.  Beth is happy to share it with all of us and thinks Christmas is the perfect time to give back to her community in this way.