Hurley, Dr. W.J. 1878-1928

HURLEY, KREUZ, SMITH, ROETHLER, CONLEY, BURNS, STRIEGEL, CAREY, MOLUMBY, CANADA, EGAN, DOYLE, MCNEIL, BORMAN, CONBOY, HUMPHREY, BEARDSLEE, CAIN, BARTON, MCCRAIDIE, MCMAHON

Posted By: Judy Moyna (email)
Date: 4/20/2011 at 13:52:11

Relatives, friends and business associates paid final tribute to former Clayton County resident, Dr. W. J. Hurley, on Thursday, February 16th, 1928. Dr. Hurley died at his home on February 13, after an illness of over a year.

He was born July 18, 1884, near Volga City, Iowa. He graduated from Valder’s College, Decorah, in 1901 and entered the medical school at Iowa City in September 1904. He graduated from the Chicago College of Medicine and Surgery in June, 1908, and served his internship at St. Bernard’s Hospital, Chicago. He devoted his life to medicine and surgery, studying at home and abroad and teaching surgery and clinical surgery at Loyola University during the years 1915 and 1916. He was elected Chief of Staff of St. Bernard’s hospital in 1912, which position he held for fifteen years, or until his health began to fail about a year ago. He was chief surgeon of St. Joseph’s hospital, New Hampton, Iowa, from 1919 to 1922. He was also chairman of the Chicago Committee of National Hospital Day, held in Chicago on May 12, 1922. Dr. Hurley was also a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Lake Shore Athletic club, the Irish Fellowship club and various medical societies.

Funeral services were held in St. Barnabas church, 101st St., and Longwood Drive at 10:00 o’clock a.m. Thursday, February 16th. Rev. Father T. J. Hurley officiated as celebrant of the Requiem High Mass with Rev. Father Wm. J. Kinsella as deacon, Rev. Father T. J. McMahon as sub-deacon and Rev. Father Mulligan as master of ceremonies. Twelve other priests were present in the sanctuary. Rev. Father Joseph Garritty preached the funeral sermon, emphasizing Dr. Hurley’s great service to humanity and the outstanding charity of his life.

Interment was in Holy Sepulchre cemetery with Monsignor Ryan in charge of the services at the grave, while fifteen other priests chanted the Dies Irae.

Students and graduate nurses of St. Bernard’s Training school formed a guard of honor for the body, religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph followed while the hospital staff of St. Bernard’s acted as honorary pall-bearers A. L. Beardslee, Dr. D. J. Cain, Dr. Hugh Barton, Dr. A. R. McCraidie and Dr. S. McMahon, as active pall-bearers.

Out of respect for one of its most loved and respected surgeons St. Bernard’s hospital suspended all operations from Monday evening to Friday morning.

Dr. Hurley is survived by his wife, Frances Kreuz Hurley; three children, Frances Jarrell, William James and Joseph Bernard; five brothers, Bernard, John and Tim C., of Volga City, Iowa; Michael of Elkader, Iowa, and Jeremiah of Bankston, Iowa; six sisters, Margaret Smith of Los Angeles, Calif., Catherine Roethler of New Hampton, Iowa, Estella Conley of Elkport, Iowa, Anna Burns, Agnes Striegel and Ellen Carey of Chicago.

Among the relatives and friends at the funeral from out of town were J. M. and Ray Hurley of Waterloo, Iowa, J. K. Molumby of Elkader, Iowa, James Canada of Fort Dodge, Iowa, Coletta Hurley of Underwood, Iowa, Bernice Hurley of Dubuque, Iowa, Thomas Egan of Milwaukee, Wis., Mrs. Mayme Doyle of Madison, Wis., John McNeil of Postville, Iowa, Cecile Borman of Madison, Wis., John Hurley of South Dakota, Frank Conboy of Volga City, Iowa, Gregg Humphrey and Mr. and Mrs. M. R. Hurley of Elkader, Iowa.

~The Clayton County Register, Elkader, Iowa, Thursday February 23, 1928, p.1.

Note: Baptismal records give 18 Jul 1878 for his birth day.