Dr. George Hurt

 Dr. George A. Hurt died on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at the age of 86 after a brief illness. He was the son of Holcombe H. Hurt, MD and Martha Lee Adams Hurt. He was predeceased by a brother, Holcombe H. Hurt Jr. MD and a sister Mary Ann Hurt. He was married to the love of his life, Lucinda for 63 wonderful years. The marriage was one of mutual devotion and pride in their children. He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Martha and Dale Dudley of Concord, Virginia; a son, George Adams Hurt Jr. of Kernersville, North Carolina; a wonderful sister-in-law Colleen Hurt and several nieces and nephews.

 Dr. Hurt was a graduate of E. C. Glass High School and the University of Virginia where he did his undergraduate work, received his medical degree, and completed his neurosurgical training. His residency training was interrupted by service in the United States Army. He was stationed first at Fort MacArthur in California and later served a one year tour of duty with the Fourth Infantry Division, serving in the Fourth Medical Battalion in Vietnam where he received a bronze star medal for service. He was particularly proud of the fact that when he got orders to go to Vietnam he did not try to get them changed but rather went to serve for that year. He felt that this would have met with the approval of his father who had volunteered as a surgeon in the Army for the duration of World War II.

 After completion of his neurosurgical training he joined Drs. Harold Riley and Jacques Botton in the practice of neurology and neurosurgery in 1971. He retired from practice in 2024 having been in partnership for 35 years with Dr. Morris McCrary. He was on the active staff of the Lynchburg General and Virginia Baptist hospitals (and later Centra) for a total of 53 years. He served on numerous committees and chaired the medical staff and served on the governing board of Centra. He was on the board of the Centra Foundation from its beginning until his retirement. He served as its board chair for several years. At the University of Virginia he was on the board of the Medical School Foundation, the Health Sciences Foundation and the Advisory Board of the School of Nursing. He had a special interest in all levels of education and served on the boards of New Vistas School and Beacon of Hope. He was a lifelong supporter of UVA athletics and had season tickets for football and basketball for many years.

His outside interests included woodworking and photography. For several years he traveled with three fellow photographers on photography trips to national parks. Pictures from these trips were donated to Centra Health and to the University of Virginia Health Sciences Foundation and the School of Nursing.

He was SCUBA certified and carried out numerous underwater dives during their trips to the Virgin Islands and to Grand Cayman. Early visits to the Caribbean were on winter sailing trips and later numerous trips to Grand Cayman.

He and his wife were particularly interested in nursing education and demonstrated this by establishing the Virginia Henderson Nursing Education Endowment at the Centra Foundation, named in honor of Cinda’s aunt. 

He greatly appreciated the years of support of the many members of his office staff and the nurses and technicians at Centra hospitals and always felt a great debt of gratitude to his many patients who entrusted their care to him. He always enjoyed the collegiality of his colleagues in the Lynchburg Academy of Medicine. He especially enjoyed a visit from a patient that he had operated on years previously and returned to keep in touch.

The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to Centra Hospice and BrightStar Care for the excellent care he received.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 7th and Clay Streets, Lynchburg. 

In lieu of flowers please consider a memorial donation to either St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Beacon of Hope or the Centra Foundation designated for the Virginia Henderson Nursing Education fund.

Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg is assisting the family.