W. Hurlbut, Charles

Charles W. Hurlbut, age 80, of Ithaca, NY passed away peacefully at his home on Thursday, February 17, 2005.

Born on November 25, 1924 in New York City, Chuck was a son of the late Charles W. and Adelaide Swezey Hurlbut. He spent his boyhood on his grandparents' farm in Scipioville, NY. He and his younger brother, Ronald, attended a one-room school house at Barber's Corners before graduating from Emily Howland High School in Sherwood.

On March 10, 1943, Chuck entered the US Army, serving with Company "C" of the 299th Combat Engineer Battalion. Chuck participated in the initial D-Day assault on Omaha Beach, served in all five European campaigns, and received the Purple Heart. In November, 1945 he received an honorable discharge with the rank of Corporal.

After the War, Chuck studied commercial art at the Abbot School of Art in Washington, DC. After graduating, Chuck moved to New York City and worked as a Commercial Art Designer for several advertising agencies. There he met his future wife, Phyllis Evelyn Angus, who had recently arrived in the States from Aberdeen, Scotland. After their marriage on April 30, 1955 in the Little Church Around the Corner in New York City, the couple relocated to Ithaca, NY to raise a family. Chuck was employed by Cornell University as a Graphic Designer. He retired from Cornell as head of the Design Department in Media Services after 20 years of service.

The most precious times for Chuck were those spent with his family. He enjoyed helping his children with school art projects (most of which took prizes) and being a Cub Scout troop leader. He and his wife Phyllis were co-presidents of the Glenwood Elementary School PTA.

In 1981, Chuck co-founded the Open Heart Club, an organization designed to support people with heart disease, which became Heart Mates Inc. in 1985. He served as its President in 1986 and as President of the Ithaca Kiwanis Club in 1988. Chuck was a long standing member of BPOE # 636 and VFW #961 in Ithaca and the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge and the 299th Combat Engineers Association. Most recently, Chuck volunteered, as part of a group of Cornell Retirees, to provide an oral history of the Second World War to local students. An avid golfer, gardener, and horseshoe player, he enjoyed painting with water colors and writing poetry, and dubbed himself a crossword fanatic.

In addition to his loving wife Phyllis E. of 50 years, Charles is survived by two daughters, Sara L. (David) D'Aprix of Ithaca, NY and Karen A. (Hans-Peter) Biemann of Cambridge, MA; a son, Gary A. (Eliza) Hurlbut of Seattle, WA; five grandchildren, Madeleine A., Nicole L., Griffin A., Carrie M., and Justin C., a brother, Ronald C. (Sylvia) Hurlbut of Aurora, NY, two sisters-in-law, Margaret E. Bruce and Connie I. (Sandy) Reid of Aberdeen, Scotland and several nieces and nephews.

Services will be held at St. John's Episcopal Church, 210 N. Cayuga St., Ithaca, NY on Saturday, February 26th at 2:00pm with The Rev. Philip Snyder and The Rev. James K. Boodley, officiating. Prayers of Committal, at Frear Memorial Park, will be scheduled in the spring.

The family will be present to receive their friends at the Ness-Sibley Funeral Home, 23 South Street, Trumansburg, NY on Friday, February 25th, from 7:00-9:00pm. Members of the Ithaca Elks Lodge #636 will conduct an Elks tribute service, at the funeral home, on Friday, February 25th at 7:00 pm.

Contributions in Chuck's memory may be made to BPOE #636 at 139 West State Street Ithaca, NY 14850 or Heart Mates Inc., P.O. Box 6713, Ithaca, NY 14851 or to a charity of the donor's choice.

For additional information, please contact the funeral home at 1-888-534-5446.

Page Submitted By: Joseph L. Sibley, Director