Mimalene "Mickey" Hurst

Mimalene “Mickey” Hurst

January 23, 1934 – October 3, 2022

Not every life well lived needs to have a global impact.  Mickey had a heart for others and devoted her life to service.  Throughout her career in a variety of fields, she sought chances to add her own special touch to make the lives of those around her a little brighter.  Whether it was as a seamstress, sewing purple and gold uniforms for a cheerleading squad, or lending a sympathetic ear at a local café while pouring a fresh cup of coffee, she tried to leave others feeling as if they and their concerns were important.  

She thrived, though, when she discovered a path into the world of public service.  In her position as the director of the Crane County Senior Citizen’s Center, she passionately advocated for patrons to receive two of life’s basic necessities, food and dignity, on a daily basis.  This path led to a period of service as a County Commissioner and gave her many chances to make a positive contribution to more of Crane before her eventual retirement.

As much time as she spent helping others, she didn’t lose focus on her family. Mickey was a supportive presence in the lives of her son, Chuck, her daughter-in-law, Rita and their two children, C.J. and Sara.  Throughout their lives, she made sure that no need that she could see went unmet.  Even if she had to sacrifice to provide for them, her joy was in the delivery, not the recognition.  As their lives moved along, she added C.J.’s wife, Hailey, and Sara’s husband, Braden Holmes, to her family along with C.J.’s children, June, Andrew, and Ryan.  Each addition was welcomed with her unconditional love and unique sense of humor.  Mickey’s brother, Ray Morgan, preceded her in death, but she is survived by her sister, Katherine.

Her retirement years were spent in Midland, enjoying the company of her family and making new friends.  She had the opportunity to travel, enjoyed baseball games and concerts, and continued to look for chances to make even one person’s day a little more joyful. As her health began to fail and her world gradually became smaller, she continued to share her spirit with her healthcare providers and other caregivers, brightening their day in a difficult time.  

With Mickey’s long life of continuous giving, it is likely that the people that she made to feel more valuable, more loved, and more joyful went on to have a more positive impact on their world than they would have without meeting her. Those ripples, in turn, may well have grown in ways she could not have envisioned and affected outcomes far beyond her imagination.  Maybe a well-lived life in a small corner of the world does have a global impact.  Maybe not. Maybe it just serves as an example for another generation.  

Either way, thank you Mom.