Longtime area resident William Hurst died March 30, 2011, at the age of 81.

He was born on May 15, 1929, in Hiawatha, Kan., to Arthur and Maude (Ely) Hurst and lived in St. Joseph, Mo., from 1932 to 1942 when the family moved to the Seattle area. He attended the University of Washington and Seattle University and served in the Naval Air Reserve during the Korean War, but was never called to active duty. He married Anna Bogo on July 18, 1950, and they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary together last year.

As a young man he worked in fish canneries in Alaska, and eventually spent 20 years at the Boeing Company before starting his own successful cabinet shop in Auburn. He was also an accomplished master home builder. Always involved in his community throughout his life, he served as an elected member of the Kent School Board for eight years in the 1970s. He was also an avid and accomplished bowler throughout his life and bowled a perfect 300 game not long before being diagnosed with cancer in June of last year. Even while battling cancer, last fall he was able to keep bowling and visiting with his friends at Secoma Lanes.

However his greatest accomplishment was as a father and husband. He was steadfast, honest and good natured.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years Anna Hurst who lives in Auburn; his sons Michael Hurst of Palm Desert, Calif., Christopher Hurst of Enumclaw, and Lon Hurst of Bonney Lake; his sister LaVeta Edmonson of Sequim, Wash., as well as six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

He was laid to rest at Mountain View Cemetery in Auburn April 7, 2011.