PATTY PARRISH HURT

1932-2019

Patty Parrish Hurt died peacefully June 6, 2019 in Houston, TX. She was 86 years old. Patty was born November 9, 1932 in Galveston, Texas, and was a proud fourth generation “BOI” (Born On the Island). Galveston held a special place in her heart, and her Galveston ancestors, family, and life-long friends grounded her in a very special way for her entire life. After graduating from Galveston’s Ball High School, she attended The Hockaday School in Dallas before attending The University of Texas in Austin. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Texas in 1951 at the young age of 19, and after graduation pursued her passion for teaching following in the footsteps of her beloved mother. She taught English at Ball High School in Galveston as well as Lanier Junior High School and T. H. Rogers Junior High School both in Houston. While a young teacher, she met the love of her life Jack and they were married at Trinity Church in Galveston, TX on June 23, 1962. Patty and Jack were inseparable her entire life and they were truly each other’s best friend sharing common loves of travel, antiques, cast iron bank and white ironstone collecting, the ballet and opera, and so many other things. Patty, with her husband Jack, was a communicant of Christ Church Cathedral in Houston, TX for over 55 years, a place and home of worship she dearly loved. She was a voracious reader and loved history and her friends and family would often marvel at both her knowledge of and ability to recall historical facts on countless subjects. She created the Cathedral’s archives, and for over 30 years dutifully and lovingly built and maintained its records. In the early 2000s, she discovered a series of paintings of scenes in downtown Houston and Texas from the 1850s, one of which was the original Christ Church Cathedral in its current location painted in 1852. In her customary determined and persistent way, she spent the next several years acquiring the series of paintings and arranging for their permanent display in churches, museums, and even the State Capitol of Texas. Her efforts to preserve a significant piece of Texas history earned her a special proclamation from the Governor of Texas. Patty was a loving and loyal friend who maintained life-long friendships that remained dear to her for her entire life. She was also the matriarch of a large family she loved and reveled in her role as family genealogist and historian. From her early childhood in Galveston and continuing throughout her life, she had a soft spot in her heart for animals, and she had a particular love of cats which revealed itself in countless cats as family pets, collectibles, art, books, calendars and much more. Patty was preceded in death by her parents Ray and Etna Stolz Parrish. She is survived by her devoted husband, A. J. Hurt, Jr. (Jack); her son, Arthur J. Hurt, III (Jay); her daughter, Katherine Scott Galloway and her husband, Scott Galloway; her two grandsons, George and Johnny Galloway; her sister, Louise Tookie Parrish Spoor and her husband, David Spoor; and numerous cousins. She is also survived by her two cats, Alice and Spatz. A memorial service will be officiated by The Very Reverend Barkley S. Thompson at 2:30 pm Friday, June 28th at Christ Church Cathedral, 1117 Texas Avenue, Houston, TX 77002. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to Christ Church Cathedral At Risk Youth Program.