Hurston Leon Newcomb, 89, passed away Tuesday morning, July 20, 2021, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford.

Funeral services for Hurston will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 22, at Pilgrims Rest Baptist Church in Batesville, with visitation beginning at 10 a.m. prior to the service. Interment will be held at the church cemetery.

Hurston was born July 1, 1932 to the late Eugene Newcomb and Pearl Flannigan Newcomb in Rockdale, TX. Hurston proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War.  He received a Bachelors of Science in Math and Physics from Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches TX and a Masters in Education from Mississippi State University. He taught at Texas A&M University, Northwest MS Junior College, Mississippi State University, and Memphis State University. He also worked for the U.S. Corp of Engineers as the assistant reservoir manager at Sardis Lake until his retirement.

Hurston was a 3rd Degree Mason and a 32nd Degree Shriner. Hurston was also a cattleman for many years and a member of Pilgrims Rest Baptist Church. In his spare time, Hurston enjoyed gardening, raising cattle and spending time with his family and friends.

In addition to his parents, Hurston was preceded in death by one son, Hurston L. Newcomb, Jr.

The family he leaves behind to cherish his memory includes his loving wife of 65 years, Bruce Howell Newcomb of Batesville; one son, Harold Newcomb (Lisa) of Batesville; two grandchildren, Anna McLemore (Jay), Jennifer Wilson; one great grandchild, Louise Grace McLemore.

Memorials may be made to Pilgrims Rest Baptist Church, 470 Pilgrims Rest Rd., Batesville MS 38606 or Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church, c/o Ronnie Taylor, 2974 Mt. Olivet Rd., Batesville, MS 38606.