Ricky G. Hurst, son of the late Raymond Oscar Hurst and Ethel Eileen Hurst, was born Sep. 11, 1955, in Ozark, and departed this life at this home in Cabool, on Saturday evening Dec. 25, 2021, at the age of 66. On Dec. 31, 1977, he was united in marriage to Lora Gail Loveless. To this union, two children were born, Michael and Matthew. Rick began his passion for wood and the outdoors as a young boy beside his dad in Stave Mills. He learned by watching his dad in the Stave Mills. It was then that he learned how to file the barrel saw and went from there learning to be head sawyer on the barrel saw. His love for sawing staves led him to being a mill manager. In 1989, he became mill manager at Seymour for Independent Stave Company until 1996, when he became a southern Missouri log buyer until retirement in 2020. Rick’s other passion was wood working that was self-taught. The very first table saw he ever had was bought for him by Flo Stacy, who was the mother of his brother-in-law, Ron. He started this in 1978 and started making small wishing wells and windmills in a small shed that he would soon turn into a successful business. In the 1990s, Rick started making rocking chairs and porch furniture that was sold to people all over the United States.
Rick taught his sons and grandkids the art of woodworking. It pleased him that it was a third generation learning the trade. The greatest joy to Rick was being around his family and bringing smiles to all their faces. No matter how sick he was or what he was going through, Rick would never complain and always had a smile on his face. A lot of people would say he had a contagious smile.
Rick is survived by his wife, Lora; sons, Michael Hurst and Matthew Hurst and his wife, Tracey, all of Cabool; nine grandchildren, Mariah Coble and her spouse, Quinton; Alexis Hurst; Conner Hurst; Shaeden Hurst; Bristol Hurst; Evangeline Hurst; Eli Hurst; Adrian Fleetwood; and Tyler Fleetwood; and great-granddaughter, Emberly Coble. There will be a Celebration of Life for Ricky Hurst at noon on Jan. 8, 2021, at the Shelters Event Center in Mountain Grove. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hurst family to go toward youth ministry in care of the funeral home.
