Milton S. Hurston Jr.

On Tuesday, June 20, 2023, and with family by his side, Milton Stradford Hurston, Jr., age 90, passed peacefully from life in this world into the arms of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Although his list of chronic medical conditions was long, it was metastasized lung cancer that eventually stole his ability to take care of others, laugh out loud, and live as he wished.

Milton was born on January 2, 1933, in Sylacauga, Alabama, where the Hurston name was associated with city government, the town’s hardware store, and leadership at First United Methodist Church. He grew up, not only in his own home, but in those of his close friends, Jimmy Thurman and Walter Rozelle. Milton achieved Eagle Scout. He loved sports, lettering in football, basketball, baseball, and track. Milton was both quarterback and kicker for the football team, and it was said that the footballs he’d kick would return to earth, covered in icicles.

In 1951, Milton graduated from Sylacauga High School with a football scholarship to Mississippi State.

However, a change in coaching staff left him without an opportunity to play or to pay for college. Refocusing on academics, Milton transferred to the Alabama Polytechnical Institute (i.e., Auburn University) to study Chemical Engineering. Even while working to pay for his tuition and housing, Milton served as the President of Phi Lambda Epsilon and the Student President for The School of Chemistry. A member of the Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Honor Society, as well as Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, Milton was awarded his B.S. in 1955.

Aside from a three-year, state-side tour of duty with the Navy (1956-1959), Milton worked in the newsprint industry for Kimberly-Clark, first in Neenah, WI, and then, at the plant in Coosa Pines (Childersburg), AL, until his retirement in 2001. His work, however, at the Navy Headquarters in Washington, D.C., was

significant, not because of his assignment to procure Sidewinder Missiles for the Navy, but because he had the sweetest, smartest, and most beautiful secretary—Evelyn Pickett—who would become the love of his life. On December 28, 1957, they were married at Sixth Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C.

At the end of Milton’s tour of duty and Evelyn’s college years at the University of Maryland, they moved with Kimberly-Clark to Wisconsin, where their first child, Connie, was born. In 1963, Milton resettled his young family in his hometown of Sylacauga, to be close to his parents. In the years to follow, they were blessed with two more daughters, Laura and Martha.

While at the Coosa River mill, Milton worked as a Control Chemist, Technical Superintendent in Quality

Control, and Technical Service Representative from Pennsylvania to Florida to Texas. Milton’s love of

people and genuine interest in their lives formed the foundation of his success at work. His excellent service was recognized in 1986, when Milton was given the Frank E. Church Award “for outstanding contributions toward the publication of Highlights for Children,’” by the publishing company. When Kimberly-Clark sold its Coosa River mill to Alliance Forest Products, Milton retired after 42 years with K-C, and worked another three (3) years, full-time, with Alliance. Milton officially retired on 01/01/2001, but continued another six (6) months as a part-time consultant.

Because of his personal relationship with and love for God , Milton was actively involved first, at First United Methodist Church, and then, at First Presbyterian Church in Sylacauga. There, he and Evelyn invested in the lives of Senior High kids as advisors, teachers, and activity coordinators. When a Billy Graham Crusade film (Joni) came to Sylacauga in the 70s, Milton served as Chairman of Community Outreach. He was also committed to the work of the Sylacauga Red Cross, serving on their board, and assisting them in establishing the Disaster Relief Program for South Talladega County.

In 1981, Milton was given the “Distinguished Volunteer Award” by the Red Cross for his work in relocating

Vietnamese refugees. The focus of Milton’s “ministry,” however, was that of helping found and establish

Knollwood Presbyterian Church, P.C.A., in Sylacauga, and of providing leadership as an Elder, teacher, Clerk of the Session, committee member and leader, choir member, etc., until April of 2022, when he and Evelyn relocated to their daughter’s home in Birmingham, AL. On November 20, 2022, they were honored at Knollwood for their faithful service to God and their community.

Milton had a love of music; he played the trumpet a short while, sang tenor in choirs and ensembles all of his life, and encouraged the musical development of his children and grandchildren by funding piano and voice lessons and attending a multitude of recitals and band concerts. One could also see him working in his yard every weekend, pruning bushes and moving pine straw.

Milton was preceded in death by his parents, Milton Stratford Hurston, Sr., and Ruby Edna Riley Wheeler

Hurston of Sylacauga, AL; his half-siblings, Joseph Troup Hurston of Tuscumbia, AL, Martha (“Teda”)

Louise Hurston of Sylacauga, AL, Thomas William Wheeler, Jr. of Cleveland, TN, and Myrtle Elizabeth

(“Betty”) Wheeler Bland of Elizabethtown, KY; and his sister, Nancy Lou Hurston Cooper of Foley, AL.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Evelyn Helene Pickett Hurston of Birmingham, AL; his three daughters, Constance Ann Hurston Macon Rhea (Claude) of Chelsea, AL, Laura Lynn Hurston English (Tim) of Birmingham, AL, and Martha Alleyene Hurston Gautney (Tim) of Muscle Shoals, AL; his eight grandchildren, Joseph Early Cleveland Macon (Deborah) of Huntsville, AL, Sarah Evelyn Macon of Calera, AL, Ryan Hurston English (Gaston) of Auburn, AL, Brandon Richard English of Mobile, AL, Elizabeth Alleyene Gautney, Isabella Martina Gautney, Gabriella Laura Gautney, and Ava Annabelle Gautney of Muscle Shoals, AL; and one great-grandchild, Beorn Stradford Macon of Huntsville, AL. Honoring Milton’s life of kindness, faith, and mercy for God’s glory, by living the same, is the desire of those who follow in his footsteps.