Fred Shelton Hurt

Fred Shelton Hurt was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend.   On December 14, 2020, he passed away at 90 years old.   He had a week long battle with Covid.  Fred had started suffering from Dementia in his later years. Thankfully, he is no longer struggling and is at peace.

He was born to Edgar and Grace Ball Hurt on January 28, 1930 in Abingdon, Virginia.  Fred grew up in the small town of Wallace, Virginia, where Fred’s father was the school principal and his mother, Grace Hurt, was the school Librarian and Latin teacher.  Fred met his future wife, Ann Mason, at church at the age of six and she, at the age of two.   They both attended Wallace School, where his parents worked and they both attended Wallace Methodist Church.  Fred attended Emory and Henry College and studied Electrical engineering.  After graduating from college, Fred married Ann and they moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where Fred began his career as an Electrical Engineer.  Together, Fred and Ann had three daughters:  Elizabeth (Libby), Deborah (Debby) and Susan.  They were married 69 years and 6 months.  

Fred worked long hours and had an illustrious career in the field of aerospace engineering, designing radar and laser systems at Bendix and Westinghouse.  He enjoyed doing numerous home improvement projects, gardening, genealogy, camping, family reunions, and trips to the beach, Western USA, Bermuda and Hawaii.  Fred and Ann were both active in their church communities and made many enduring friendships with “The Claque”.  In addition, Fred served years in Stephen Ministry.  Fred was known for his intelligence, ingenuity and sense of humor.

He was one of the smartest, most inventive and clever people, he could fix anything.   He would drop everything for his family.   He passed on his love for animals, gardening, playing in the dirt, and solving Sudoku puzzles with his offspring.  His daughters have fond memories of the programmable thermostat he made 50 years ago with an electric outlet, timer and night light, all placed below the standard thermostat.  There also was the double wide, grass catching lawnmower he rigged with a riding lawn mower, push mower and plywood box.  He was truly an inventive class act father. 

Fred is survived by his three daughters, seven grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Alzheimer’s 

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