Maria Hurd

A Mass of Christian Burial for Maria C. "Connie" Hurd was held at 10 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 18, 2007 at St. Cecilia Catholic Church. Rev. Daniel Perlinski officiated. Burial followed at Woodlawn Cemetery under the direction of Rice Funeral Service. Friends visited at the

funeral home on Wednesday Fall-Retail-6.4x10merge 8/23/07 with a prayer service held at 6:00 p.m.

Mrs. Hurd passed away Monday, Oct. 15, 2007. She was 76. She was born on May 14, 1931 in Wharton. Mrs. Hurd was lovingly nurtured by her parents, Rosa and Tomas Barbosa.

She graduated from Wharton High School with the class of 1951 and with a great deal of encouragement from her priest, Mrs. Hurd decided to continue her education by attending Sacred Heart Dominican College in Houston, where she earned a BSRN degree.

While she was attending nursing school and William Herbert Hurd Jr. was attending navigation school for the U.S. Air Force, a Friday evening church dance brought the two together. On Dec. 29, 1956 Miss Barbosa became Mrs. William Hurd in a Wharton ceremony. The couple enjoyed more than 50 years together and five children blessed their union. Because of Mr. Hurd's military career, the family made their home in Sacramento, Calif., Mission and Laredo, Japan, and a return to the states where Savannah, Ga., was home. Their last assignment before Mr. Hurd's retirement from the military in August of 1977 was Andrews Air Force Base. During their 11 years in Maryland, Mrs. Hurd demonstrated a great deal of strength as she was sometimes required to go it alone when his

school and military duties took

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for many months. Her dedication to her family was unsurpassed. She nurtured, loved and cherished her children first and later their spouses and her grandchildren.

As the Hurds left their military service behind, they chose to move to Oklahoma. With family in Tulsa, they resided there for a brief time before finding the perfect acreage in Claremore and this community has been home ever since. Though no longer military themselves, they continued to be involved by hosting weekly support groups for family members of military personnel involved in Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Mrs. Hurd has been active in

the community in other areas

as well. She served as a tutor in the Rogers County Literacy Council since its inception. She was also part of the initial cadre for the Tri-County CASA. But her strongest devotion was to her church. The very first Sunday she attended St. Cecilia's she was invited to assist with the Meals on Wheels program. She agreed and became the menu planner and buyer for the program, a position she held for several years. Mrs. Hurd served as a lector and Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist for many years, until her health dictated that she forego those duties. Over the years, she served as a CCD teacher and sang in the choir, and was one of the first volunteers for the Life Teen program in the parish.

Always seeking to increase her listening and caring skills, Mrs. Hurd attended workshops on a newly-formed Care Ministry in the parish, and workshops on listening skills and dealing with grief. In addition, she studied a full year on the duties and responsibilities of a spiritual director, and attended classes at Rogers State University. She led a weekly prayer group for many years, and was currently hosting a weekly scripture study on each Sunday's Gospel. She was also an RCIA sponsor and assisted with the Children's Liturgy program each Sunday.

Kind and supportive, she always had an uplifting greeting for everyone she met. Described by her children as faithful, with the hands and feet of Jesus, She deservedly was named as St. Cecilia's Women's Club Woman of Achievement for 2007. Exemplary in every endeavor of life, Connie has left positive footprints down every path she has traveled. All who knew her will miss her constant smile and encouraging words, but none as much as her beloved family.

Those who survive are her husband, Bill, of their home in Claremore; her children, Joseph Hurd and his wife, Lisa, of Alabama, Rosina Tolka and her husband, Terry, of Colorado Springs, Colo., Rebecca Clary and her husband, Rick, of Tulsa, Ramona Walkingstick and her husband, Keith, of Claremore, and Ruth White and her husband, Randall, of Knoxville, Tenn.; and her 11 grandchildren, Jessi, Sam, Joe, Max, Veronica, Jack, David, Alan, Patrick, Caroline and Thomas. She was preceded in death by her parents, one sister and two brothers.

Memorial contributions in Mrs. Hurd's name may be made to Meals On Wheels, a program she whole-heartedly supported, at P.O. Box 92, Claremore, OK 74018.