Former Associates Honor Marvin Hurst with Dinner

Former Mayor of Rich Hill, Marvin Hurst was honored at a banquet at Bedell's Dining Room Friday evening, May 9. Mr. Hurst, who completed twenty-four years as Mayor of Rich Hill April 1, was given a beautiful plaque with the inscription, "In appreciation of twenty-four years of sincere efforts and devoted service to the City of Rich Hill, Missouri, Mayor, 1945 to 1969.

Fred Marquardt, a former member of the City Council acted as master of ceremonies. He told of Mr. Hurst's affiliation with all civic organzations of the town. He is a member of the Christian Church, Lions Club, Masonic Lodge 32nd Degree Mason, Chamber of Commerce, Missouri Community Betterment, B.P.O, Elks, President of the Rich Hill Mining Review, Inc., and Vice President of the Rich Hill Development Corporation.

Mr. Marquardt told of a number of accomplishments in the city during Mr. Hurst's reign-improved fire protection, improved electric service, improved water system, street improvements with new street improvement equipment, and many others. He told how Mr. Hurst devoted much of his time with the people in Rich Hill for the betterment of the town as a whole, and was in constant contact with all the people. Other improvements made while Mr. Hurst was in office were recreation in the parks, rest rooms in the park, youth center, baseball park. All of these projects Mr. Hurst gave willingly of his time as he did with assisting the owners of the Booth Theatre in the rebuilding of the theatre following a disasterous fire, also the support and work he contributed in rebuilding the factory following the fire in 1964.

One of the highlights of Mr. Hurst's twenty-four years as Mayor of Rich Hill, Mr Marquardt stated, was the annual Mayor's Christmas tree, and his tiring efforts every Christmas season in decorating Rich Hill for the festive season.

The Fourth of July celebrations were also supported wholeheartedly by Mr. Hurst, as in later years was the annual Rich Hill-Kansas City picnic in September.

Mr. Hurst is a great humanitarian and is always willing to help needy familes or anyone traveling who is in need of assistance.

Mr. Hurst reared in the Carbon Center neighborhood southeast of Rich Hill. When a young man he moved to California and lived there many years. He returned to Rich Hill in 1941 and purchased the Parkview Hotel, which he operated until 1965 when he sold the business. Because of his interest in civic affairs he decided to run for mayor in 1945 and was elected.

Mr. Marquardt gave a list of men who have served on the city council the past twenty-four years. They are: Loy E. Moore, Al Holtz, Tracy Lyman, O. M. Peterson, Dr. T. F. Boyd, Bill Christopher, John E. Robertson, Marion Moreland, Ed Montgomery, Ralph Droz, Gary Jennings, Richard Leavitt, Wesley Heuser, V. 0. Barth, H. F. Kienberger, Ed Lyons, Cecil Heckadon, A. J. Bedell, Ray DeMott and Fred Marquardt. Deceased; members of the council who: served during that time, Earl Neptune, Harry Pierce, I. C. Callendar, J. Elmer Jones, Karl K. Engel. Ray DeMott, A. J. Bedell, Cecil Heckadon and Mrs. Goldie Clerk. Mrs. Hazel Myers, As elected to the council; City Wheeler, the first woman to be assistant Clerk, Mrs. Bud Vodry, City Collector, Bud Vodry, all now serving the city, were present for the dinner as were many who had worked over those twenty- four years with Mr. Hurst.

Mr. Marquarct gave each person who had worked with Mr.Hurst the privilage of making a few remarks and each one told of the pleasures they had enjoyed by their business associations with him.

An invited guest, Adrian Craigmiles, made a short talk and compared the reign of Mr. Hurst to that of two great presidents, the late former President Herbert Hoover, who served the country during the depression. He told of the many things that Mr. Hoover tried to promote which had been carried out in years after he ser­ved as president and which had been for the betterment of the Nation. The other great president is former President Harry S. Truman, who is now regarded as one of the five greatest presidents of all time.

Mr. Craigmiles said in years to come many of the improvements for which Mr. Hurst worked so hard and diligently for and which did not materialize will become a reality and that the history will recognize Mr. Hurst as one of the great­est mayors to serve Rich Hill.