“Beloved husband, father, and grandfather and esteemed
teacher and mentor”
COUDERSPORT, Pa.---Roger Alan Hurt, 75, of Coudersport, died
Saturday, March 7, 2020, following a lengthy illness. A longtime teacher at
Austin Area Junior Senior High School, Roger passed away with his family by his
side at Paramount Senior Living, Mars, Pa., where he had resided since fall
2018.
“Mr. Hurt,” as he was known by students, staff, teachers,
and the broader Austin community, taught there for 37 years, spanning the
presidencies of Lyndon Johnson to George W. Bush. Roger taught multiple
generations of Austin families, inspiring scores of students on to higher
learning. He built much of Austin’s social studies department from scratch,
creating course topics ranging from anthropology to political science to the
Civil War, to name a few. Among his many accomplishments, he founded the
school’s National Honor Society chapter and helped to launch its yearbook.
Roger met his late wife Nancy Hurt at AHS, where she taught social studies
before going on to work for the Potter County government. Roger and Nancy were
married for 27 years, until her death in 2015. Roger’s love for Austin and its
residents was boundless, and he continued to support the community well after
his retirement in 2003.
At Coudersport Golf Club, Roger was an active member for
nearly 50 years, holding numerous leadership positions and introducing his
children to the game. He served multiple terms as board president, chaired
numerous tournament committees, and gave his time and talents to growing the
sport and welcoming new club members. In the early 2000s, he helped establish
the club’s Heritage Hall – to celebrate its history and honor its most
influential figures – of which he later became a member. Roger loved few places
more than Coudersport Golf Club.
A resident of Allegany Avenue for five decades, most
everyone in Coudersport knew Roger. And if not him, they recognized his dogs,
Spike and Jake. Through rain, sleet, snow, hail, and heat, Roger walked his
dogs around town every morning, afternoon, and evening. Local storeowners knew
to keep biscuits on hand for whenever Roger and his dogs visited.
An avid college basketball fan, Roger enjoyed attending St.
Bonaventure University basketball games with his children, instilling their
lifelong love for the game. Later in life, he and Nancy attended regularly with
their friends. They rarely missed a home game and faithfully tuned in by
television or radio when the Bonnies were on the road. Roger cheered for the
Pittsburgh Pirates and, owing to his lifetime love of cars, pulled for the
Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions, and Michigan State Spartans as well.
Roger cared deeply for his friends and family. Without fail,
he attended his children’s sporting events, concerts, and extracurricular
activities and supported them all in their endeavors. He was known for his warm
greetings on the streets of Coudersport to friends and strangers alike.
Born on April 20, 1944, in Oil City, Pa., Roger was a son of
Stetson E. and Clara Nellie Bradley Hurt, both now deceased. He graduated from
Oil City High School in 1962 and from Clarion State College in 1966 with a
bachelor’s degree in education.
Surviving Roger are the five children from his successful
blended marriage with Nancy: Drew A. (Stacy) Hurt of Bridgeville, Pa.; Joel R.
(Stephanie) Hurt of Gibsonia, Pa.; Jennifer (Arthur Smith) Boscia-Smith of
Williamsville, N.Y.; Benjamin A. Boscia of Ellsworth, Me., and Theodore V.
(Amy) Boscia of Ithaca, N.Y. “Grandpa Rog” is also survived by 10
grandchildren: Griffin, 16, Emmett, 14, Charles, 13, Ian, 13, William, 11,
Sadie, 10, Alexander, 8, Samuel, 8, Daniel, 7, and Cora, 6; niece Sally (Alan)
Barr and nephew Brian (Fae Michelle) Hurt, as well as his beloved dog, Jake.
Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, March
14, 2020, at Park United Methodist Church, Coudersport, where funeral services
will follow at 12 p.m. The Rev. Scott Ogden, pastor, will officiate. Burial
will be in Sweden Hill Cemetery, Coudersport.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Coudersport
Golf Club, 839 Cherry Springs Road, Coudersport, PA 16915; the Gerald F.
Duffee, Sr. Scholarship Fund, CFFT, 104 W. Lockhart St., Sayre, PA 18840;
Teacher's Pet Rescue, 19 Blackberry Lane, Coudersport, PA 16915; and The
Alzheimer's Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601.
Roger’s family has entrusted his care to Kevin J. Dusenbury,
funeral director/owner of the Virgil L. Howard Funeral Home, Shinglehouse.
To express condolences or share a fond memory of Roger,
please visit www.virgillhowardfuneralhome.com or the funeral home Facebook
page, Virgil L. Howard Funeral Home.
