Lilly Elizabeth "Lilly Beth" Hurt was born on March 15, 1918 to Walter and Mayme Katherine "Kate" Hensley Hurt in Dewville, Texas. She was named for both of her grandmothers. Her grandparents were William T. and Elizabeth "Bettie" (Maddox) Hurt and John S. and Lily (Barnes) Hensley. She died on February 19, 2015. She grew up in a very loving home, with her older sister, Katherine and younger brothers, Franklin and Hensley. The family attended Dewville United Methodist Church, where Lilly Beth was a life-long member. She often spoke of how her mother, her sister Katherine and she played the piano at church. Tragically, Katherine died in 1930 at the age of 15 from juvenile diabetes. Her death was a great heartache for the family, their church, and the Dewville community.
Lilly Beth attended the Dewville School through the elementary years and graduated from Nixon High School. While in school she was an honor student and a great basketball player. She grew up with many wonderful cousins spending weekends at her home and in their homes.
Upon graduating from Nixon High School in 1936, she attended Southwest Texas State Teachers College in San Marcos, Texas. After completing two years of college she received her certificate to teach. She went to Needa, Texas, near Monthalia, and taught grades 1 thru 4 in the same schoolroom. While she was teaching she completed her degree through correspondence studies. In 1943 she moved to New Braunfels, Texas and taught there until 1945. In the Fall of 1945 she transferred to Ingleside, Texas. In 1947 she made her last career move, going to San Antonio. Lilly Beth taught second graders at Benjamin Franklin Elementary School in San Antonio for 33 years. Her entire teaching career spanned 38 years.
After retiring Lilly Beth moved to Seguin to be closer to her families in Seguin and Gonzales. She enjoyed spending time at her childhood family home in Dewville and attending the Dewville United Methodist Church regularly.
Lilly Beth is survived by her brother and wife, Hensley and Mary Ella Hurt of Gonzales; her nephew and wife, Franklin, Jr. and Julie Hurt of Gonzales; her niece and husband, Amanda and Louis Gross, III of Seguin; and her niece and husband, Barbara and Alan Seeber of Washington, D.C. She is also survived by many great and great-great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her brother and sister-in-law Franklin, Sr. and Katie L. Hurt and her sister Katherine Hurt.
Pall bearers are her great nephews Nathan Hurt, Zachary Hurt, Lucas Hurt, Logan Hurt, Jason Molin, and her great-great nephews Matthew Strawn and Robert "Bobby" Stasney, Jr.
Honorary Pall Bearers are Andy H. "Sonny" Batey, Earl R. Collins, George E. King, Lester E. Sikes, Jr., and great-great nephew William A. Strawn. Lilly Beth often spoke of how proud she was of her two nephews serving in the military. Lucas Hurt is serving in the U.S. Air Force and William Strawn is serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, February 21, 2015 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Tres Hewell Mortuary. Funeral services will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015 at 2 p.m. at the Dewville United Methodist Church in Dewville with Rev. Bill Alex officiating. Interment will follow in the Dewville Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Dewville United Methodist Church, P. O. Box 900, Seguin, Texas, 78156 or to the Dewville Cemetery Association, 207 N. Artesia, Nixon, Texas, 78140.