On June 6, 2024, in the early afternoon, Herman Dean Hurt went home to be with the Lord.
Dean was born on June 18, 1956, to Herman Curtis and Mary Lou Hurt in Raymond, Washington, the firstborn of four children. He grew up in Montesano, Washington where he attended Montesano High School, lettering in football and track, and played tuba in the school band. During his high school years, he came to know the Lord Jesus as his savior.
After high school, he attended Grays Harbor Community College for two years before attending Whitworth College in Spokane where he majored in Theology. In 1979, in his last year at Whitworth, he met the love of his life, Rochelle Knapp. They married in September of that same year and moved back to Montesano. After a year in Montesano, they moved to Goldendale, Washington, where they had their two sons, Hans, and Morgan. Dean worked a series of odd jobs, one of them being an orderly at a local hospital. He decided at that time to spend the rest of his life helping people. In 1985, the Hurt family moved to Yakima where he attended nursing school. He graduated in 1987 worked in the nursing profession for 36 years as a floor nurse, an ICU nurse, and a Cardiac Cath Lab nurse helping to start a new Cath Lab program in Modesto, California for two years before moving back to Goldendale. He retired in 2023.
Throughout his life, Dean had an ongoing passion for music and singing. Gifted with a beautiful tenor voice, Dean loved to share his passion with those around him. He participated in church choirs, singing solos, and duets with Rochelle. Dean would often be found daily singing to himself or along with the radio. Watching a musical with him involved him singing along to most of the songs. Dean also volunteered much of his time to church ministries. From worship teams to men’s and youth ministries and retreats, he enjoyed being involved and giving to those around him. His love for life and gentle nature endeared him to people of all ages. In all that he did in life, Dean possessed a quick wit and enduring sense of humor, which afforded him the ability to connect with people of all ages and stages in life. His knowledge and use of the English language made him interesting and engaging to talk with, often striking up unlikely conversations with anyone he desired; no topic was off limits.
Dean lived a full life, freely loving and giving of himself. He will be missed by many.
Dean is preceded in death by his parents and his brother Steve. He is survived by his wife Rochelle at the family home in Goldendale, Washington; his sons Hans (Lynette) of Brisbane, Australia, and Morgan of Alameda, California; sisters Nanine Criswell of Houston, Texas, and Della Hurt of Seattle, Washington; nephews Isaac Hurt of Federal Way, Washington; Aaron Hurt of Virginia Beach, Virginia; and Josh Criswell of Houston, Texas, and a niece Ashley Criswell-Schoppa of Houston, Texas.
A memorial service was held for Dean on July 14 at Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in Goldendale, Washington.
