Barton C. Hurley, 85 passed away Friday January 26, 2007 at Nutmeg Rehabilitation Center, New London, CT. Mr. Hurley resided in Charlestown, RI for the past 21 years.
Mr. Hurley was born in Brooklyn, NY on May 20, 1921. He graduated from Northport High School, East Northport, Long Island. Mr. Hurley resided in Fanwood, NJ from 1954 to 1985, before retiring and moving to Charlestown, RI.
Barton served in the G Company, 346th Infantry Regiment, 87th Division of the US 3rd Army during WW II, fighting in the Ardennes and Rhineland campaigns during the “Battle of the Bulge”. There were 81,000 American casualties during this battle. Barton was wounded in action, receiving the Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal and Victory Medal.
Barton graduated from the University of Alabama and continued graduate studies at the Newark College of Engineering and Rutgers University, earning MS degrees in chemical engineering and statistics, respectively. Barton worked for Schering Plough Pharmaceutical Company for 38 years, retiring as Director of Technical Services - Quality Control in Kennelworth, NJ in 1983.
Barton was a long-time member of the American Legion, both in Scotch Plains, NJ and Charlestown, RI’s Downey Weaver Post. He has held numerous leadership positions, including Chaplin and Vice-Commander during a period when his wife Gloria Hurley served as the first women Commander of an American Legion Post in the state of New Jersey. Barton was also a member of the “40/8” Society, an ‘invitation only’ service organization of the American Legion committed to charitable aims, particularly for wounded veterans.
Barton served on the Charlestown Planning Commission for 13 years, being recognized Citizen Planner of the Year in 1999. He was a life time member of the Wood-Pawcatuck River Watershed Association, receiving a RI Senate Citation for service in 1993. The RI General Assembly initiated additional recognition of Mr. Hurley’s conservation service by naming the Wachaug Pond public access boat landing area as the Bart Hurley Boat Access. He was a volunteer in the University of Rhode Island pond watch network, conducting pond sampling on Watchaug Pond for many years. Barton was a Sustaining Member of the Republican National Committee, the Audubon Society of RI, The Sierra Club and Bradford Skeet & Gun Club.
Barton is preceded in death by his wife Gloria Schow Hurley, also a WW II veteran; parents – Mary Ann Munro Hurley and Thomas Jay Hurley of East Northport, Long Island; brother Collins Ingles Hurley of Dallas, Texas; daughter Jamie Daley Hurley of East Brunswick, NJ, and granddaughter Erin Maureen Daley. Surviving are his son Scott A Hurley and wife Debra Aquino Hurley of Mystic, CT; son Colin M. Hurley of East New Market, MD; sister Mair Hurley Reedy of Hobson, MT; brother Forbes Munro Hurley of Gary, IN; and grandchildren Kristen Daley White of Charleston, SC, Ryan Daley of East Brunswick, NJ, Meghan Daley of East Brunswick, NJ, Maurica Hurley of Naples, FL, Kevin Hurley of Westerly, RI, Daniel Hurley of Fairhaven, MA, Erin Hurley of Fairhaven, MA, Tristan Hurley of Mystic, CT, and great grandson William Temple White of Charleston, SC.
A Memorial Service will be conducted at Grace Fellowship Church, 102 Rte. 184, North Stonington on Friday, February 9th at 2pm.
Donations in Barton’s memory may be made to the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association.
To send his family a message of remembrance/condolence, please click the link below.