James Patrick Hurley
SPRINGFIELD CENTER – James Patrick Hurley of Springfield Center, passed away peacefully on Aug. 4, 2022. He was 93.
He was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts, on Sept. 9, 1928.
After graduating from Columbia University, Jim set out on a life filled with diverse interests and passions.
Enrolled in the U.S. Navy aviator program, he was transferred to naval photography. Born was a life long love of documenting his life and the lives of others through pictures and stories. He was a true historian at heart. Family gatherings were not complete without a brief, and sometimes not so brief, “interview” with all in attendance. Nieces and nephews learned to hide upon seeing him approach with the tape recorder.
His careers and talents were immensely diverse. An incredibly modest and humble man, he started in service for the United States Consulate, stationed in South Asia during a tumultuous period for that region. While there, he climbed K2, arguably the most difficult mountain climb in the world. Head of the Long Island Historical Society, architect of the Weeksville Project (for which he gained much celebrity), curator and “live in” of the Edgar Allen Poe house in Bronx, these are just a few examples of how his work and his love of history and literature were inseparable.
Ultimately he took residence in Springfield Center, operating his own bookstore, fly fishing at every opportunity, and engaging in the local arts community.
Jim’s love affair with food, along with his appetite, was legendary. Before “foodie” was even a word, he was the ultimate food fan. To be with Jim, or “Uncle Pat,” was to be entertained with new and wonderful culinary experiences. He prepared nieces and nephews for a life eating food from all over the globe. If he was to be immodest about anything, it was to boast about finding good food at a very low cost, “free” being best.
Of course all of us who knew him, be they friends or family, knew him to be a man of enormous compassion and humanity.
His wonderful and mischievous sense of humor was always on display. A great friend, a wonderful father, son, brother and uncle, Jim impacted the lives of all he knew.
He is survived by his daughter, Amy; sister; Helen; cousin, Katherine Sendzimir; numerous nieces and nephews; as well as all his wonderful caring friends.
There will be a service at St. Mary’s Church in Springfield Center at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 10.
Published on August 9, 2022
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