Catherine Louise Hurd

Catherine Louise (Davis) Hurd passed from this life at the Peace Hospice House on February 3, 2023, at the age of 104. Prayers for her are asked as she continues her journey into the next.

Catherine was born December 9, 1918, in her grandmother’s house to Clyde and Myrtle Davis of Caldwell, Idaho, during the Spanish flu pandemic and a month after the Armistice. Her early life was spent at the Cabarton Logging Camp near Cascade, Idaho. Her brother, Don, was born in 1923. When the Depression hit, the logging played out, and her family moved to a small ranch near New Plymouth, Idaho where they subsisted by raising cows, chickens, and gardening. One of Clyde’s brothers, a carpenter, traded building on to the ranch house for his lodging to make room for the family. Catherine graduated from New Plymouth High School in 1936 and enrolled in the College of Idaho in Caldwell. After two years of study, she returned to the mountains of her early years and taught Elementary school in Council and Meadows. This is where she met Donald Hurd, and they married in May of 1942. They spent 67 marvelous years together before his passing in 2009.

With the onset of WWII, there was opportunity in Seattle, where her husband worked at the Boeing Aircraft Plant until he was drafted for military service. While in the induction line, two recruiters asked Donald if he’d like to join the Navy, which he did. After training, he was stationed in San Francisco in the Naval Post Office. Catherine did some office work and also worked at a candy counter in Walgreen’s. When the war ended, Don studied watchmaking and gemology on the GI bill in Sacramento, from which they moved up the coast to Willamina, Oregon.

It was there where Don began working in the jewelry business that they welcomed two sons to their family: Richard “Dick” Hurd in 1951, and Bruce R. Hurd in 1955, both of whom were born up the road in Salem. The jewelry business then took them to Butte, Montana, where they lived until 1960, when family economics brought them to the booming city of Great Falls. It was there that Catherine resumed her teaching career at a brand new school, Valley View, that had a room with 31 first graders waiting for a teacher. She spent summers at the College of Idaho, completing her degree in 1966. She worked in the same first grade room until her retirement from teaching in the early 80s.

Catherine always believed that education provided a way to a better life. She did her part for her students, but also for her sons. She and Don supported Richard in his college studies at UM, and later at MSU-Northern. They supported Bruce as he pursued a career in Figure Skating, which he continues to this day. She loved to travel, which enhanced her knowledge and enjoyment of the world. In 1975, she and her sister-in-law, Virginia Davis, went on a tour of Europe. She visited Hawaii twice, went through the Panama Canal, and visited many other places in the United States.

Catherine and Don valued a spiritual life and were baptized into The First United Methodist Church in 1961. Their church provided both their sons with a Christian upbringing, and Catherine remained active in the church until she could no longer participate. Her church continued to support her with home visits, prayers, and recognition of her life-long dedication to the Savior.

Catherine is survived by her sons, Richard (Judy) and Bruce (Pamela) Hurd; her brother’s children, Doug (Anna) and Samye Davis of Missoula and their families; grandchildren, Nicole (Casey) Hurd, and Thomas Hurd of Great Falls, and Corrianne (Michael) Plymell and Caitlin (Scott) Cattelino, both of Denver; great-grandchildren, Hollynn Hurd of Great Falls and Amora Cattelino of Denver, nieces, Caroline Smith of CA and Brenda Harris of SeaTac, WA, and her large extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Don; brother, Don and his wife, Virginia, and numerous friends and relatives she outlived.

Cremation was entrusted to O’Connor Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held later in the spring, with interment in the Meadows Valley Cemetery next to her husband. Memorials are preferred to Peace Hospice of Montana, Great Falls Public Library Foundation, First United Methodist Church, or the donor’s choice in Catherine’s name.