Thomas “Tommy” was born the youngest child of four on May 26, 1931, to James Carroll Hurt and Willie R. Sullivan Hurt, of Mashulaville. He left his home at the age of 19 to enter the U.S. Air Force, where he served for 22 years, assigned to the European and South East Asia theaters, and several stateside duty stations throughout the course of his career. Rising to the rank of Master Sergeant before his retirement through Honorable Discharge in May 1973, he flew 205 combat bombing missions over the course of the Vietnam War, and was ultimately awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
He was brilliant, multi-talented and broadly knowledgeable due to genetics, his good old-fashioned farm rearing, and hard-driven, sheer determination. There was nothing he could not accomplish, and nothing he could not repair or construct when he set his mind on it. He mastered everything he did. When he left Winston County to explore the world, and serve his country, he had decided he would one day return to his boyhood home and own his own farm, which he did with his own family when he completed his service to his country, returning to live at Ellison Ridge in 1973. His favorite things in life were his “boys,” fishing, hunting, a good dog, riding through the countryside, and good, home-cooked food served on-time (and not necessarily in that order.) He had a mischievous twinkle in his eye and loved being in charge of his own life.
Mr. Hurt was preceded in death by his parents, his siblings, his loving wife of 34 years Josephine Davis Hurt, and his oldest son Thomas Joseph Hurt. He is survived by four sons William (Kim) Hurt of Columbus, MS, David Hurt of Louisville, MS, Ronald (Tamara) Hurt of Atlantic Beach, FL, and John (JoAnn) Hurt of Hartselle, AL, ten grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.
Serving as pallbearers are his sons Bill, Butch, Ronny, and John, and his grandsons Tyler Hurt and Wesley Mattern. Memorials in honor of Tommy may be given to the American Cancer Society, www.donate3.cancer.org.
Services are under the direction of Nowell-Massey Funeral Home, 724 North Columbus Avenue, Louisville, MS. Memories, condolences, and photographs may be shared with the family by signing the guest register at www.nowellmasseyfuneralhome.com.
