Westhampton, MA – Ethel Hurd, age 87, passed away at home on April 15, 2026. She was born on the Navajo Nation Reservation in Ganado, Arizona on June 21, 1938, the daughter of Hasteen Nez and Asdzan Yazzie. Ethel attended Fort Sill Indian School in Lawton, Oklahoma where she graduated in 1957. In 1961, while working in Colorado, she met Gary Hurd who she would soon marry in 1962. By 1970, Ethel and Gary had moved into an old homestead in Westhampton, Massachusetts where they would raise their four children, and where they would remain for the rest of their 62 years of marriage. Ethel was a stay-at-home mother and focused on her kids while Gary worked full-time. Although she wasn't a fan of strangers and preferred to stay home with her puzzles in her later years, she was loved by many who knew her for her sense of humor and spunky attitude.
She is survived by her daughter Ardena, two sons Nathan and Ebin, and her three grandsons Matthew, Trevor, and Zachary. She is predeceased by her husband Gary, and her son Arron. A graveside service will be held at Center Cemetery in Westhampton on Monday, May 4 at 10:00 a.m.
Donations can be made to the Southwest Indian Foundation
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