Carol Pope Hurst, 71, of Chula passed away Sunday, February 14, 2016, at Tift Regional Medical Center. A graveside funeral service was held for Mrs. Hurst at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 17, 2016, at Rutland Cemetery in Tifton, where she was laid to rest. Rev. Hody Rutland officiated.
Born July 19, 1944 in Tifton, Mrs. Hurst was the daughter of the late Raymond Pope and Christine Welch Pope. She was a retired nurse practitioner. She received her Associate of Science in Nursing from ABAC in 1972; her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Georgia Southwestern in 1975 (Magna Cum Laude); her Master of Science in Nursing from the Medical College of Georgia in 1979; and her Post-Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner certificate from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1998. She was named among the Outstanding Young Women of America and was a member of Sigma Theta Tau National Honor Society.
During her nursing career, Mrs. Hurst served as a nursing instructor at ABAC; was the first Director of Brother Charlie’s Shelter for Battered Women in Tifton; was charge nurse at Greenleaf Center in Valdosta; was the chair of the South Georgia College Division of Nursing in Douglas; was director and founder of Monarch Counseling in Tifton. She also served on planning committees for Ruth’s Cottage Domestic Violence Shelter and Patticake House Child Advocacy Center in Tifton; and was a volunteer for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).
Mrs. Hurst is survived by her husband of 54 years, Travis Hurst of Chula; a daughter and son-in-law, Kim and Bill Clark of Chula; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Clay Hurst and Clint and Wendy Hurst, all of Tifton; a sister and brother-in-law, Betty and Steve Searcy; and three grandchildren, Caroline Clark, Will Clark and Brandon Prudhomme.
Memorial gifts may be made to Ruth’s Cottage/Patticake House, P. O. Box 2727, Tifton, GA 31793.