HURD, J. Brent – Age 87 passed away at his home in Lebanon, December 27, 2020. Mr. Hurd was born in Nashville on July 19, 1933. He is preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Barbara Jo Hurd; parents Brown Elliott Hurd and Susan Writesman Hurd, and a sister Brownie Hurd Freeman. Mr. Hurd graduated from Donelson High School in 1951. He served in the United States Army as a military policeman. Mr. Hurd graduated from The University of Tennessee Knoxville in 1958 with a degree in Agriculture Economics. Immediately upon graduation he married Barbara Jo Williams and started a 10 year stint managing a Grade A dairy farm. His next venture was spending 16 years with the largest real estate management company in the Southeast as CEO, overseeing 12,000 residential rental units and 300 employees. He founded Hurd Investment Properties, Inc. in 1981 and served the residential and commercial real estate management company as president for the next 9 years and as president of a large Nashville property management company for six years, afterwards aiding his son and daughter-in-law in establishing Hurd Real Estate Associates, LLC, taking on many roles over four years. During his career Mr. Hurd was active in several organizations, serving as president of the Nashville Board of Realtors, as a regional vice president of the Tennessee Association of Realtors and as president of the Middle Tennessee Chapter of the Institute of Real Estate Management. In 1982 he was chosen as the Realtor of the Year by the Nashville Board of Realtors. Throughout his career Mr. Hurd valued his role as a mentor and inspiration for many entering real estate careers. He achieved that goal in part as a course instructor for the Graduate Realtor Institute for real estate professionals and for the Institute of Real Estate Management for property management professionals. One of Mr. Hurd’s great interests was his fraternity, Alpha Gamma Rho. He served on the Housing Resources Trust Board for eight years, as National Director for six years and as Vice Grand President, and in 2008 he was inducted into the national Alpha Gamma Rho Hall of Fame. Once retired, he traveled with his wife Barbara working for the fraternity as a consultant for sales and renovations of Alpha Gamma Rho chapter houses nationwide. He was compassionate with a love for animals as exhibited by his rescue dog Mike and his rescue burros. Many in his community were recipients of his prized Delicious tomatoes. He had the knack for giving anyone who wanted to work the opportunity to do so. He looked for occasions to help others. As an example, concerned about the blind hill, he had a street light installed at the intersection of Palmer Road and Hickory Ridge and paid the bill for years. He was a member of Bethlehem United Methodist Church. Mr. Hurd is survived by his four children: Brenda (Phillip) Barnes, Raymond (Mimi) Hurd, Becky (Kelly) Halsey and Beverly (Rodney) Gibbs. He is also survived by six grandchildren: Deanna Barnes, Madelyn Barnes, Olivia Hurd, Sam Hurd, Zoey Halsey and Sydney Gibbs and great-grandson Barnes Eudaley. Private entombment at Hermitage Memorial Gardens Mausoleum, with a Celebration of Life on July 23, 2021. Pallbearers: Phillip Barnes, Sam Hurd, Raymond Hurd, Rodney Gibbs, Kelly Halsey, and Tim Ferrell. In lieu of flowers, memorials in the name of J. Brent Hurd will be welcomed to AGR Scholarship Fund (c/o Evan Beech, Director of Specialized Giving at the UT Institute of Agriculture, 110 Morgan Hall, 2621 Morgan Circle, Knoxville TN 37996) and/or Country K-9 Rescue Inc (116 Rocky Road, Lebanon TN 37087). The family extends their most sincere thanks to caregivers Alexis, Barbara, Denise, Jessica, Terri, and Theda. Sellars Funeral Home, Lebanon TN 615.444.9393
