John Hurley

Waynesville, NC, Reverend J. Bernard Hurley was born in Asheboro, NC, September 30, 1922. He was the son of John Henry Hurley and Nan Allred Hurley. Reverend Hurley was promoted to glory on February 7, 2009. He received his BA from Catawba College and his Masters of Divinity from Duke University. He helped establish St. James Methodist Church in Thomasboro, NC and served Main Street Salisbury, First Methodist Charlotte, First Church Liberty, St. Paul Charlotte, Hickory Grove Charlotte, College Place Greensboro, First Church Waynesville, Trinity Kannapolis, and First Church Brevard. He retired in 1982. During his active ministry, he was sent on a preaching mission to Anchorage, Alaska by the Board of Ministries, to Warrenton, England by the Board of Evangelism, and to New Haven, CT to conduct a study on alcoholism at Yale University. He was an active camper and took his family to all 48 states plus much of Canada, Newfoundland, and Mexico. In retirement, he drove to Alaska, twice on the Alaska Highway before it was paved. He had a great love of music and was the violin player for a high school group called the Rhythm Ramblers, which did show dates and had a regular Saturday morning radiobroadcast. He was instrumental in getting "The Sons of the Pioneers" to Lake Junaluska and to the State Fair in Raleigh, where Roy Rogers joined the group. Bernard also gave the opening remarks and prayer at the first Western Music Festival held in Las Vegas in 1987. He was married to Doris Dreibelbis Hurley. They have four children, nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 22, 2009 at First United Methodist Church in Asheboro, NC. Private interment will also be in Asheboro. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 224 N. Fayetteville Street, Asheboro, NC 27203; Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center, Office of Development, DUMC 3828, Durham NC 27710; or Haywood Regional Medical Center Hospice, 560 Leroy George Drive, Clyde, NC 28721.

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