Obituary: Dr. Pryce Hurley
KS_Newton -- Dr. Pryce Hurley, 84, died on Feb. 15 at
Asbury Park in Newton after a brief illness.
He is survived by three daughters: Susan Yoshiwara of
Denver, Colo., Shelley of Blanco, Texas, and Shawn of Newton; a son, Lance of
Livingston, N.J.; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by Lorene, his wife, and Lindall, a
son.
Dr. Hurley was born in Leonardville and attended school
there. He then entered Kansas State University. He interrupted his college
education for a two-year hiatus to serve as an MP in the U.S. Army with the
U.S. Occupation Forces in Japan. He returned to Kansas State to continue his
pursuit of a degree in Mining Engineering, but after meeting and marrying
Lorene decided to pursue a career as a dentist.
After graduating with his D.D.S. from the University of
Missouri in Kansas City in 1955, he was in private practice in Stockton from
1955 to 1964. He moved his family to Newton in 1964 and set up a practice
there, which he continued until 1996.
In 1996 he took a position as a dentist with the Kansas
Correctional Facility at El Dorado. He left there in 1998 to begin working for
Renaissance Management Co., for whom he traveled to area nursing homes to
provide onsite dental care to their residents. In 2000 he returned to work for
the Kansas State Correctional System, this time at their Hutchinson facility.
A consistent theme running throughout his years practicing
dentistry was a passion for excellence in General Dentistry and continuing
education. In the early 1960’s, he joined a group of dentists from across
Kansas in founding the Great Plains Dental Study Group. He continued meeting
with this group for more than 30 years for regular continuing education
meetings.
He eventually earned his Fellowship and Masters Designations
through the Academy of General Dentistry. He was also instrumental in assuring
quality dental care, working with the Kansas Legislature to create a peer
review process to handle patient complaints of poor care. Concerned over the
emphasis of specialists in the American Dental Association versus the needs and
concerns of general dentists, he led the founding of the Kansas Chapter of the
Academy of General Dentistry. He was also active in the Region 12 leadership of
the Academy and eventually the National leadership. Offices in the state,
regional and national Academy include President of the Kansas Academy, Vice
President of Region 12 and Speaker of the House of the national Academy.
Page 2 of 2 -- For his work with the prison and aging
populations, Dr. Hurley received Humanitarian of the Year awards from the
Maryland Academy of General Dentistry, the National American Dental Association
and the National Academy of General Dentistry.
In addition to his dental career, Dr. Hurley spent many
years with his wife and children involved in 4-H, showing purebred Shorthorn
and other breeds of cattle. Over a period of 20 years, the family fed, groomed
and showed steers and breeding stock across the state of Kansas and other
states, including county fairs, the Kansas State Fair, the Wichita Junior
Livestock Show, the Mid-America Fair, Aksarben, and shows in Phoenix and
Chicago. The family enjoyed a great deal of success, showing many champion
steers and heifers during that time.
During a portion of this period, he served as a leader for
the Macon 4-H Club in Harvey County. In 2011 he and Lorene were named to the
Wall of Honor by the Kansas State Fair Association.
As a young man, Pryce was a superb athlete, excelling in
basketball and baseball. He played for the Manhattan Ban Johnson baseball team
and was a member of K-State’s basketball and baseball teams. When living in
Stockton, he coached the town’s American Legion baseball team and later coached
youth baseball and basketball teams in Stockton and Newton. He was an avid
follower of his beloved Kansas State Wildcats for his entire life.
Throughout Pryce’s life, the most important aspect of his
life was his family. He remained involved in his children’s and grandchildren’s
lives, at times coaching their athletic teams. However, nothing was more
important to him than attending their games, plays or concerts, where he would
offer encouragement and praise for their performances. Until the end of his
life, he took great joy in his family and nothing brought a smile to his face
more quickly than hearing news of his grandchildren or great-grandchildren and their
accomplishments. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
Persons wanting to make a memorial donation can make one to
the Ahearn Fund supporting Kansas State University athletics,
www.ahearnfund.com.
A memorial service will be at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 20,
2013, at First United Church of Christ, 210 E. Fourth St., Newton. Funeral
arrangements are being handled by Resthaven Mortuary of Wichita. Condolences
may be offered at www.resthavenmortuary-cemetery.com.
