People in Stephenville and area are remembering a man whose personality was as big as some of the pranks that he pulled through the years.
Larry (Scott) Hurley, who worked with Humber Valley Broadcasting and Steele Communications for 31 years and served on the Stephenville town council for 16 years, died at the Health Sciences Centre in St. John’s Wednesday.
He was 65 .
Stephanie Hurley, his daughter, said her father was the most fun person you could meet and was full of life.
“He loved his community, connecting with people and taught us (children and grandchildren) how to treat people well,” she said on behalf of the family. “He loved people and making them laugh.”
Hurley’s family includes: wife Dottie Hurley; son Matthew and daughters Stephanie Hurley and Beth Murray and grandchildren Ben Murray, Sam Murray, Onora Hurley and Orlin Hurley.
The family said they’re obviously heartbroken, but grateful for the time they had with him.
“He loved his community, connecting with people and taught us (children and grandchildren) how to treat people well.” - daughter Stephanie Hurley
Hurley loved sports, especially the Denver Broncos football team and the Montreal Canadiens hockey team. He loved music, especially his time with the Seville Singers, a local choir group under Jean Cormier-House.
In recent years, he spent lots of time at the baseball fields with his grandchildren, who were very special to him.
Grandson Ben said his poppy was a joyful person who always wanted to put a smile on people’s faces.
While Hurley started off as a news reporter in 1973 and became news director with CFSX Radio back in 1987, he was probably best known for his colour commentary role alongside broadcaster Don Gibbon, airing senior and high school hockey games.
Many people will remember Scott when he took on another persona as “Ned the Newf,” where he would do different types of skits that sometimes included “Screeching-in” ceremonies.
Gibbon was almost always his sidekick at those events, and he said many Americans who came to Stephenville to participate in Harmon Field Day got to become honourary Newfoundlanders through a ceremony conducted by Ned the Newf.
CFSX held an annual Newfoundland Day and Ned the Newf would show up.
Gibbon recalls being in St. John’s with Hurley in the early 1980’s after a Herder win by the Stephenville Jets and, after some celebrating, getting left at the Travellers Inn while his counterpart made his way home to Stephenville.
“I woke up at 9 a.m. and there was nobody in the hotel. Scott left me there and I had to find my own way home,” he said. “Scott was quite the character and you didn’t know what to expect from him next.”
Gibbon said he was always a practical joker and kept people laughing right up to the last.
“Besides calling him a great co-worker, I can call him a fantastic friend,” he said.
Hurley was involved in municipal politics, serving on the Stephenville town council for a total of 16 years, from 1993 up to his resignation in May 2009. For many of those years he was deputy mayor and for about six months was acting mayor.
