Arthur F. Hurley

Arthur F. Hurley, 86, son of the late Arthur F. Hurley Sr. and late Esther V. Hurley, passed away on October 10, 2023. Artie, as he was known by friends and family, will be remembered for his adventurous spirit, love of jazz music, and quick wit.

Born and raised in Dedham, MA, Artie attended Dedham High School and upon graduation enlisted in the United States Navy. He served from 1954 to 1957 during which time he did a tour of duty in the Korean War, working as a mechanic on an aircraft carrier. After being discharged from the Navy, Artie returned to Dedham, MA and joined the U.S. Postal Service, where he worked as a mail carrier until he retired in 1991. During this time, Artie married MaryAnn Jones and together, they shared three sons, Peter, Marc, and Steven.

An avid outdoorsman, Artie moved to Rangeley, Maine in 1993 where he spent many happy years boating, hiking, snowmobiling, and skiing at Saddleback Mountain. At the end of a long day, he loved nothing more than to turn up his jazz music, sip his red wine and soak in the views from the expansive, sun-drenched windows of his A-frame home overlooking Rangeley Lake.

Described to a person as “truly one of a kind,” Artie enjoyed a good road trip and could be seen traveling the states on his Harley Davidson well into his 80’s. When it was finally time to give up riding, he traded his motorcycle for a red Miata and continued to set off for his yearly ventures. One of his favorite destinations was New Orleans, where he took in the annual Jazz Festival. He was also known to travel out West to visit his son Peter in Colorado, where he reveled in the fresh powder and bluebird days at Wolf Creek Ski Area, taking to the slopes daily. There, he was a member of the Gray Wolf Ski Club. To mark his 80th birthday, skis and poles in hand, he climbed Alberta Peak with his sons Peter and Steve. Together, they skied down the backcountry (very steep!) double black diamond trail.

His sons warmly remember their adventurous early years with their father, where he taught them a love for all things outdoors – hiking, camping, skiing, swimming, and biking. A tale they are fond of telling is how they used to watch Artie dive for lobsters with nothing but a mask, a snorkel, and his bare hands. He rarely surfaced empty handed, and the boys seldom went without a lobster dinner.

Artie’s quick wit and sense of humor will be remembered by all. If he had one piece of advice for all of us as we learn to live in a world without him, we are pretty sure he would tell us the same thing he would say when he found someone stopping to wait for him on a ski or hiking trail … “carry on!”

Artie is preceded in death by son Marc, brother Daniel and sister Marie Hurley Doherty. He is survived by sons Peter and Steven (daughter-in-law Erin O’Sullivan Hurley); granddaughter Caelan; mother of his children MaryAnn Jones; nieces Jennifer Doherty (Steven Stasiak), Julie Doherty-Kowalski (Michael), Laura Hurley Metz (Marty) and Mary Beth Hurley O’Brien (Michael); and nephews William Doherty (Maureen) and Michael Hurley (Ana).

In honor of Artie’s 87th birthday (October 26), the family invites you to join them for a Celebration of Life on Friday, October 27, 2023, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at The Pub at Coachmen’s Lodge, 273 Wrentham Road, Bellingham, MA 02019.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Artie’s memory to the VA Boston Healthcare System at: https://www.pay.gov/public/form/start/52253675.