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 William Hurt Jr.
May 25, 2002
William Coates Hurt Jr., 94, of Lenox died Saturday at Berkshire Medical Center.
Born in Tuskegee, Ala., on Dec. 27, 1907, son of William C. Hurt Sr. and Vernon Hurt, he attended schools in Tuskegee and Sylacauga, Ala. He graduated from Auburn University in 1928 with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering and received a master's degree in mechanical engineering from there in 1933.
A reserve officer in the Army Corps of Engineers since college, he was called back to active duty during World War II and served as an engineer officer at the Manila base in the Philippines. He remained in the Engineer Reserves after the war and retired as lieutenant colonel.
Mr. Hurt was employed as a mechanical engineer with General Electric, first in Schenectady, N.Y., and then transferring to Pittsfield in 1931. He had various assignments in engineering, development, manufacturing and engineering management. He was granted six patents and received a management award.
After retiring in 1970, he served as a member and later as vice chairman and chairman of the Western Massachusetts chapter of Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE). He also became a volunteer "technical resource" at Berkshire Community College and in 1984 received the President's Award for service to the community and education. He was selected as the Outstanding Senior Elfun by the local GE Elfun Society for his service to the community.
He was a longtime member of the First Church of Christ Congregational in Pittsfield, where he served as Sunday school teacher, Sunday school superintendent, deacon, moderator and member of various committees. He was active with the Boy Scouts and served as scoutmaster, committee member and member of the local council. In 1956, he received the Silver Beaver award for service to scouting.
He served on various boards and committees for the Christian Center, Pleasant Valley Sanctuary, Pittsfield Area Council of Churches, American Lung Association, and the Massachusetts Society of Professional Engineers. He was a life member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers and the Wire Association International. He was registered as a professional engineer in Massachusetts, New York and Montana, and was an early member of the now-disbanded Stanley Club, serving as president in 1936.
He leaves his wife, the former Kathryn Lennox, whom he married in 1936; two sons, William C. Hurt III of Geilenkirchen, Germany, and John L. Hurt of Dalton; a daughter, Louise H. Frankenberg of Millersville, Md.; seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
The Rev. Dr. Richard L. Floyd, pastor, will conduct a memorial service at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 31, at the First Church of Christ Congregational in Pittsfield. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made directly to the church.
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