Timothy Hurley

Monday, June 21, 2010
Timothy Hurley

Timothy F. Hurley was born Sept. 10, 1920, in Casper, Wyo., and passed away June 8, 2010, in Boise, Idaho.

He was the son of Irish emigrants Timothy and Mary Sullivan Hurley.

He attended St. Anthony Catholic School until his sophomore year when he went to work for the local Packard dealership. Tim excelled as a mechanic and enjoyed dirt track racing.

On Dec. 8, 1941, he enlisted in the Marine Corps, serving overseas in WWII.

He was discharged in 1945 but remained in the reserves and was called to service in 1950 for the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in 1951.

After the war Tim owned his own mechanic business, Hurley Repair, until 1961 when he joined Morrison and Knudsen. He worked on the Yellowtail and Libby Dams in Montana. The majority of his employment was overseas, taking him to Panama several times, Peru and Suriname, South American, Papua, New Guinea, and Grenada, West Indies. Later he became superintendent of equipment at the railroad shop in Boise.

Tim retired in 1985 after working on a large project in Grenada.

While teaching a young Irish lass, Mary O'Brien, to drive, he fell in love and proposed. On Nov. 22, 1948, Tim and Mary were married in St. Joseph's Catholic Church at Hardin, Mont. Mary accompanied him during many of his overseas work assignments.

After retirement they settled in Mountain Home but also enjoyed traveling in their fifth wheel. One special trip was taken to Ireland, where Tim met many of his cousins. They would have celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary this year.

Tim was a member of Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Mountain Home and Sacred Heart in Boise, and the Knights of Columbus. He had life memberships in the American Legion, VFW, Elks and Second Marine Division on the east and west coasts.

Tim was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, John, and sisters Margaret and Katheryn, and son, Michael.

He is survived by his wife, Mary, and children Tom of Denver, Tim of Spokane, Jim of Meridian, Melanie of Billings, and Pat and Shirley of Boise, ten grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews, along with his special friend, Prince, his faithful Chihuahua.

All services will be conducted by Fr. Ramirez at Our Lady of the Good Counsel Catholic Church in Mountain Home on Thursday, June 24, with viewing at 9 a.m., rosary at 10 a.m., and mass at 11 a.m. Following a military service at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 25, interment will be at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery in Boise.

In lieu of flowers a donation can be made to the Idaho Humane Society.