Harold E. Hurst, 88, of Richmond, went to be with the Lord on December 15, 2012. He was born on August 1, 1924 in Alton, Ill., to the late Oscar and Ethel True Hurst. He was preceded in death by his siblings, Oscar Hurst, Betty Klunk and Jerry Hurst. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Alice June Leavitt Hurst, whom he married on November 26, 1947; his sons, Tim, David, and Dan Hurst; his daughter, Martha Joyner; 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Harold was a graduate of William Jewell College and Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary, was awarded the Metal of Honor while in the Army Air Corps in WWII, and served as a foreign missionary to Honduras and Panama with the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board for many years. He founded the First Baptist Church in Honduras over 50 years ago, which still exists today. After serving overseas he served at the Southern Baptist Mission Board in Richmond. He was the pastor of Corinth Baptist Church in New Kent, Va., for many years and was very involved in ministering at Lakewood Manor. He was a true servant of God. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, December 20 at the Parham Chapel of Woody Funeral Home, 1771 N. Parham Rd., Richmond. Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, December 21 at First Baptist Church, 2709 Monument Ave., Richmond. Interment will follow at Corinth Baptist Church Cemetery in New Kent. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering IMB, 3806 Monument Ave., P.O. Box 6767, Richmond, Va. 23230-0767, or Lakewood Manor Benevolence Fund, 1900 Lauderdale Dr., Richmond, Va. 23238. Condolences at woodyfuneralhomeparham.com.

.Published in Richmond Times-Dispatch on December 18, 2012