Jerry Ray Hurst, 85, died on Thursday, November 20, 2025, in Hampton, Virginia, where he had resided since 1979. Born in Eastland, Texas, and raised in Lubbock, he attended Texas Tech University, from which he graduated in 1963, and was a proud member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity, Epsilon Nu Chapter.

Jerry was commissioned in the U.S. Army following graduation, serving the nation for more than 20 years; stationed in Turkey, Germany, Vietnam, Fort Hood, Texas, Korea, Fort Devens, Massachusetts, and Fort Monroe, Virginia. It was in Germany that he met his wife, Melba Sherrie Goevelinger Hurst, a DoD teacher from Oregon, and where they were married in 1967.  Following his retirement from active duty in 1984, having earned the rank of Major, he continued his vocation of service as a civilian Army employee, first at Fort Monroe, transitioning to Fort Eustis, and celebrating his second retirement in 2012.

Jerry served and mentored young men through the Boy Scouts of America beginning in 1980 with Cub Scout Pack 27.  He was Scoutmaster of Hampton's Troop 29 from 1984 through 2002, continued to support Scouting with his grandson's involvement in Troop 99, also in Hampton, as the Committee Chair and Scoutmaster. During his tenure, he helped over 70 Scouts achieve the rank of Eagle Scout.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Veda and Pete Hurst, and brother, Harold.  In addition to his wife, he is survived by his sons, David (Jennifer), and Stephen (Liz); his daughter, Heather Cox (Waylon); four grandchildren, Allison and Joshua Cox and Eleanor and Evelyn Hurst; brother, Darrell (Dianne) and sister, Pam Redman (Jeff).

The family will receive friends from 5:30-6:30 p.m., Monday, December 1, 2025, at R. Hayden Smith Funeral Home (245 S. Armistead Ave Hampton, VA). A funeral mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at St. Joseph Catholic Church (512 Buckroe Ave Hampton, VA) with full military honors. He will be laid to rest in the Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk, Virginia, at a later date.

Memorial contributions are welcome to be made to Sigma Chi Foundation (https://sigmachi.org/foundation/); to St. Joseph's Catholic Church, (https://peninsulacluster.org/giving/); or to the charity of one's choice.