James F. Hurley, III

James F. Hurley III, 80, the former editor, publisher and head of the family who owned the Salisbury Post for more than 80 years, died Monday, April 2, 2012, at the Kate B. Reynolds Hospice & Palliative Care Center in Winston-Salem. He was a respected community leader, master fundraiser and generous humanitarian for Salisbury and Rowan County. Born July 22, 1931, in Salisbury, he was son of the late Elizabeth Dillard Holmes and James F. Hurley Jr. He attended local public schools and graduated from Woodberry Forest. In 1953, he earned a degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He served in the U.S. Army from 1953-55 and was a lifelong member of First Presbyterian Church. Hurley started his journalism career at the Salisbury Post as a young correspondent and rose through the ranks to reporter, editor and publisher, serving in the top post for 22 years. He won a dozen awards for his writing from the N.C. Press Association and was inducted in 1991 into the North Carolina Journalism Hall of Fame. The Hurley family sold the newspaper in 1997 to Evening Post Publishing Co., based in Charleston, S.C. Hurley retired from the newspaper business but remained involved in the community. Hurley¹s leadership and contributions were widespread, from heading the local Chamber of Commerce as a young man to serving as chairman of the board of The Blanche & Julian Robertson Family Foundation in recent years. In between, he championed many local causes by raising money for significant improvements, always starting with his own contribution. That included Lincoln Park Pool, Rowan Public Library, Rufty-Holmes Senior Center and Elizabeth Holmes Hurley Park, named for his mother. His biggest contributions may have come at Catawba College, where he served as chair of the board of trustees and led a successful $28 million capital drive. Hurley received many awards, both civic and professional. He was named Newsmaker of the Year, Man of the Year, Young Man of the Year and given a Brotherhood Award. He was preceded in death by his brother Haden Hurley in 1996. In addition to his wife, Gerry Trammell Hurley, formerly of Clinton, S.C., he is survived by his youngest brother, Gordon, and wife Carolyn of Salisbury; sister-in-law Jennifer Hurley of Florida; niece Elizabeth Hurley of Banner Elk, who was raised in the home; niece Anna Holmes Hurley of New York, N.Y.; niece Gail Ash and nephew Josh Hurley of Florida; and nephew Jeff Hurley of Idaho. Service and Visitation: A memorial service will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Salisbury with the Dr. Jim C. Dunkin and Dr. Randal V. Kirby officiating. The family will see friends following services in the Lewis Hall at the church. Memorials: May be made to Hurley Park, P.O. Box 4053, Salisbury, NC 28145-4053 or the donor¹s choice. Summersett Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

James F. Hurley, III

July 22, 1931 - April 2, 2012