Margaret E. Hurst, 95, passed away on Tuesday, January 29, 2019. She was born August 10, 1923 in Parker, IN to Claude and Nilah Calhoun. The family later moved to the Muncie area, where she graduated from Cowan High School in 1941 and went on to attend Purdue University.
She was married to Robert L. Hurst of Connersville on August 10, 1944 on her 21st birthday and moved to his family farm, near Milton. She encouraged him to switch from beef to dairy farming and worked long and hard beside him to make the farm a financial success. She loved flowers and gardening and was a terrific cook. They were fiercely independent and lived on the farm until ill health finally forced them to move to Heritage House Nursing Facility on March 3, 2018. Robert passed away on September 22, 2018 at the age of 97.
Margaret became a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Connersville when she married Robert in 1944. She was active in the church and served many roles, including the Fellowship Hall Planning Committee. She was also a long-time member of the Tri Kappa Sorority and enjoyed attending meetings and socializing. She also served on the Committee for Fayette County School Reorganization and was instrumental in getting special education classes instituted in Fayette County Schools. Her oldest (John) was born prematurely in 1945 and suffered from brain damage and cerebral palsy. He passed away in 2009.
Survivors include her daughter Susan and son-in-law David Walsh of Oxford, OH; son Lowell and daughter-in-law Wendy of Watsonville, CA; grandson Marcos Hurst and wife Sabrina, of Watsonville, CA; great grandchildren, Marcos and Liliana; granddaughter Alexis Day and husband Tyler of Marina, CA; and sister, Betty Uzell and husband Ted of Henderson, NV.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 74 years, Robert, her son John, two sisters, Doris and Cleo Nottingham, and four brothers Howard, Marvin, Dale, and Myron Calhoun.
Visitation for Margaret will be held on Thursday, February 7, 2019, from 4:00pm until 7:00pm, at Urban-Winkler Funeral Home, Connersville. The funeral service will be on Friday, February 8, at 11:00am, at First Presbyterian Church, 700 N. Central, with Reverend Jim Orr officiating. Burial will be in Dale Cemetery.