GREENSBORO – A gathering to honor former Willey’s storekeeper, father, pastor, walker and chocolate chip cookie-maker Tom Hurst was an opportunity for well over 50 family members, friends and community members to share tender memories, humorous moments and often both.
Greensboro’s United Church of Christ hosted the affair that began with lunch at noon, Monday, Aug. 11. As a projected slide show cycled through photographic evidence of Hurst’s life, Rev. Anthony Acheson offered a blessing for the food and those gathered to remember Hurst.
The memories shared clearly indicated Tom was well-loved in the community and well-supported by it as his Parkinson’s disease, which he never made any effort to disguise, progressed.
Recalled as a man of great love and caring for others, with an indomitable spirit, who was unlikely to utter a complaint, he was remembered as a regular walker around Caspian Lake whenever he could go, regardless of the weather, rain, or shine or snow, hot or cold. One year-round summer resident later recalled encountering Hurst on a winter day, near Campbell’s corner, the most remote area of roads around Caspian Lake, with his face covered in icicles, despite an obviously warm hat. Hurst declined a warm ride, so the resident got Hurst moving again, with the often required kick in the leg.
Tom’s wife Merrill Hurst began the reminiscences thanking the many people who facilitated the day’s gathering, then recalling Greensboro as “Tom’s favorite place on earth,” and having a hard time getting him to leave for Trumansburg, N.Y., in 2016 to live near their daughter Whitney’s family and where he was fitted with a device that gave him medicine every 36 seconds, greatly adding to his mobility for many years.
In Trumansburg, Tom did the kind of things he’d done in Greensboro, joining and organizing various groups, from Rock Steady Boxing to becoming chaplain of the fire department, joining the historical society, a men’s walking group and attending church, his favorite being the UCC in Ithaca.
Continuing a theme, Tom often brought chocolate chip cookies to gatherings, or had them to hand out during chance encounters in the community.
During that time Tom and Merrill were able to visit regularly with Whitney’s family and more regularly with Emily’s after they moved to Chicago.
Tom received a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in September 2024 and died November 19 of that same year.
Hal Gray recalled a visit by Tom during one of his walks around the lake, in which Tom asked Gray to dispose of trash he’d collected so he had room for more during the remainder of his walk.
Nancy Reige shared her experiences owning and living in the Greensboro house once occupied by Tom and Merrill, which now has a labyrinth on top of the septic system mound that Merrill had to remind her is correctly called Mount Merrill.
Nancy Hill recalled a misunderstanding when she misinterpreted Tom’s request to “kick me” as “kiss me,” to the delight of all, and a further comment that at least one either person had a similar experience. Under their breath, some suggested Tom seemed to have a convenient lisp.
Stew Arnold recalled experiences from 55 summers earlier when he’d found a way to spend a college summer in Greensboro to make sure his future wife, Becky, wouldn’t have a summer romance with anyone else. Stew and Becky spent time that summer with Tom and Margo Gray, as Becky already knew Tom. They enjoyed trips to Coles Pond that summer. Becky recalled a youth group, shared meals and Tom liking ice cream smoothies.
Stew suggested he and Becky, who were married in Greensboro by Tom in 1977, might have been his only local marriage, though at the time Tom was a seminary student and Dave Travers signed their marriage license in “the center of the universe.”
Margo recalled Tom as her first boyfriend, with his thoughtful and gentle character establishing a high bar for her future relationships. She also recalled her first kiss being in the same church where the day’s gathering was happening, which memory resulted in a playful fist from Merrill, who then recalled her first date with Tom. She had asked him to a Sadie Hawkins Day dance and, noticing the photo of a pretty woman on his desk, thought, “this isn’t going anywhere.”
Jeff Pierpont recalled first meeting Tom when he stopped for milk at Willey’s just as Tom was sliding the outside door closed for the day. Tom opened the door, telling Jeff where in the store to find milk, then refusing payment as he said, “the registers are closed,” and told Jeff to come back later to pay. Pierpont fondly recalled conversations while driving Tom to and from appointments.
Judy Carpenter recalled her daughter, Leona, returning from visits with Emily, saying “Emily’s dad is so funny.” She had been glad to see Tom navigate 45 stairs to and from the water and play badminton during a visit in Trumansburg. Karl Stein said he remembered Tom as very supportive and also recalled helping to kick-start him and take a hand-off of trash, though Stein suggested the motive might have sometimes been the possibility that Tom had a supply of chocolate chip cookies to offer, as all agreed, he often did.
Arne Averill remembered a time when they were young and Tom seemed lonely so she invited him to an event. Years later Tom told her that was the beginning of his social life.
Tom’s daughter Emily remembered her father for giving her his work ethic, his rootedness in Greensboro and service to his community; all things she’s sharing with her children. She also recalled her father calling as he closed the store, to ask Merrill, “Need anything?”
B.J. Gray recalled having to get used to a man lying on the floor of the church sanctuary, which was Tom in one of the poses his Parkinson’s often left him in before his next restart.
Carpenter shared another incident in which she’d had to pick up a pair of young turkeys after shuttling Tom to an appointment, which he gently held during the trip home, then finding him covered with turkey poop, which Tom never complained about.
Reverend Ed Sunday-Winters, said he never knew Tom, except through others reminding him they share the experience of regularly walking around Caspian Lake. He said, “Tom’s memory will be a blessing for many years to come.”
Karen Collier was appreciative of the way Tom encouraged her husband, Steve, to take off so he could be with their kids, once saying, “From now on, family first.”
Monica Morrissey recalled Tom’s mother Phyllis playing piano for her class and staying with that class the next year when Emily’s project was Greensboro shops, for which he was very particular about the details.
In closing the gathering, Acheson shared his experience that the memories felt very real, giving a sense of Tom’s resilience and courage.
Dedication of a memorial bench for Tom was scheduled at the Greensboro Historical Society immediately after the church gathering, with, of course, chocolate chip cookies served, followed by the interment of his ashes at the Lincoln-Noyes Cemetery soon after.
Tom Hurst’s obituary can be found at ness-sibley.com/obituaries/thomas-hurst.
Paul Fixx is editor of The Hardwick Gazette and lives in Hardwick.
