Cover photo for W. Fred Hurst's Obituary
1939 W. 2021

W. Fred Hurst

June 27, 1939 — March 9, 2021

Springville

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Walter Fredrick “Fred” Hurst was born on June 27, 1939 in Mapleton, UT, to Walden Duffin Hurst and Ada Esther Busk.  Being raised with his seven siblings during and after the scarcity of the WWII years, he learned the values of humility, service and hard work at a very young age and never lost those attributes.  These were always a hallmark of his tireless and self-sufficient approach to life.
After graduating from Springville High School, he enlisted in the US Army and served his tour of duty in and around Schweinfurt, Germany.
After the time spent serving his country, he faithfully served as a missionary in the U.S. Southwest Indian Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  Service to people from all walks of life would become his overriding priority as his life progressed and he grew ever-closer to his Heavenly Father.  In his abundant retirement years, it seemed that every waking moment he dedicated to service to others.
Until his dying day, he never stopped learning and growing, knowing that life was given to us by Heavenly Father for exactly this purpose, and that each moment was precious. He was also always willing to teach others and share his life lessons with any who were seeking. By the end of his life, the two words that would best describe him were “loving” and “compassionate”.
He volunteered in his ward, around his neighborhood and community.  His favorite volunteer time was spent honoring military veterans as part of the Springville, UT American Legion Post, where he was Commander in late life. The number of veterans he ceremonially honored at their gravesides as they were laid to rest were many, with a number being impossible to guess at.
His other great love was serving for years in multiple capacities in the Provo and Provo City Center Temples.
In 1966 he married Helen Mattinson Oakley and came into a family of three young wonderful children; LeeAnn, Lisa and Bart Oakley.  He and Helen went on to have three more children; Steven, Monica and Daniel Hurst.  He loved his children more than life, and would always make sure he visited them often and contacted them to say, “I sure do love you.” almost weekly.
He used his G.I. Bill to earn a Master’s Degree in Social Work from BYU.  The majority of his career was spent with the Utah Department of Corrections where he retired as a Deputy Warden at the Utah State Prison.
In 1994, he married Karen Hutchings in the Manti, UT Temple. Together, they served a mission in Leeds, England. They cherished their time together, and took every opportunity to bring together the large blended family they shared and loved between them.
In 2006, Fred married Carol Umholtz; a wonderful, vibrant, industrious and talented women from Kansas. They spent 14 years of love, service and learning together; she being as tireless in those pursuits as he was. They volunteered innumerable hours in the Temples of Provo, UT and served a mission together in Jackson, Mississippi. She would be his rock and tireless caretaker as his heart weakened and he started to slow down.
Fred would always say that his life had been such a blessing. If anyone thoughtfully considers his time on earth, they would realize he was a child of God who never stopped learning, growing and bettering all parts of himself until he was called back to his Father’s presence on March 9th, 2021.
Funeral services will be held Monday, March 15, 2021 at 12 Noon in the Mapleton White Church, 31 W. Maple Street in Mapleton.  There will be a viewing held Sunday, March 14th from 6:00-8:00 pm at Wheeler Mortuary, 211 East 200 South in Springville and Monday at the church one hour prior to the services.
The service will be streamed on Facebook and all are welcome to attend the virtual services at the following link. http://www.facebook.com/wheelermortuary
To send flowers to the family in memory of W. Fred Hurst, please visit our flower store.

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Monday, March 15, 2021

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Monday, March 15, 2021

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