Larry Hurst

Larry Hurst, 61, of rural Girard, Kan., longtime teacher and coach, was pronounced dead in the emergency room of the Girard Medical Center at 5:15 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009. Death was unexpected.

He was born Aug, 5, 1948, in Parsons, to Cecil and Bonnie Jean (Stice) Hurst. He grew up and attended school in Erie and graduated from Erie High School. He attended Independence Junior College and Pittsburg State University, where he earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees.

He had been a science and chemistry teacher and coach for 37 years. He taught at Golden City, Mo., three years, Stockton, Mo., one year and Nevada, Mo., 27 years. He currently was at the Prairie View High School in LaCygne.

Larry served in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War and for eleven years was linebacker coach at Pittsburg State University. He was a member of the Trinity Baptist Church in Pittsburg and had served as a deacon in the First Baptist Church of Nevada and the Calvary Baptist Church of Nevada. He loved hunting and fishing.

On May 23, 1970 he and Judy Newberry were married in Erie.

Survivors include his wife, Judy Hurst, of the home; one son, Larron Jon Hurst and his wife Erica of Lakin; one granddaughter, Larra Ann Hurst; five nieces and nephews, Mindy Roberts, Kerri Newberry, Nick Newberry, Travis Newberry, Tiffani Hurst; one brother ,Lyle Hurst and his wife Connie of Erie, His parents preceded him in death.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m., Wednesday, at the Erie Federated Church. Burial will be in East Hill Cemetery with military honors.

The family will receive friends at the Pierce-Carson-Wall Funeral Home in Erie from 7 to 8 p.m., Tuesday.

Memorials are suggested to the Prairie View High School Scholarship Fund. They may be left at the funeral home or mailed to P. O. Box 182, Erie, KS 66733.