Rodger Thomas Hurst December 16, 1946 - October 4, 2021

On Monday, October 4, 2021, Rodger T. Hurst, loving husband and father of four, passed away at age 74.

Rodger was born in December of 1946, in Provo, Utah, to Tom and Louise (Hurst) and grew up in Orem, Utah, near Utah Valley University. After serving briefly in the military, Rodger was medically discharged and returned home to take up the HVAC trade, with his father. Rodger earned multiple certifications to become an expert in the heating and cooling field, running a successful HVAC business for many years.

Rodger met Rebecca “Becky” (Martell) while drag racing on Center Street in Provo, Utah. Becky was a beauty queen from Santaquin, Utah, and Rodger was absolutely smitten. Rodger and Becky were married in Reno, Nevada, on July 7, 1968, and celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary early this year. Rodger and Becky had three beautiful daughters: Tamera (Alan) McGraw, Rashell (Shane) Lassen, and BranDee (Joel) VanLeuven, raising them on Palisade Drive in Orem, Utah. Rodger and Becky went on to own a successful HVAC fabrication business for many years. Rodger became a General Contractor later in his career, building dozens of homes up and down the Wasatch Front and Southern Utah.

Rodger had a passion for Corvettes, prospecting, and perfection. For Rodger, the only way to do something was the right way. When something broke, there was a 99% chance Rodger could fix it better than it was before. At age five, Rodger built a go-cart out of the family lawnmower and thus started his passion for fast cars. Over the years, Rodger restored dozens of Classic Corvettes, drag racing many of them and winning many trophies at Rocky Mountain Raceways. At one time, Rodger collected more than twenty-five Corvettes at his home in Orem. When Rodger’s neighbors called the police because of all the Corvettes in his yard, Rodger proceeded to show them all the titles and ended up selling a Corvette to one of the officers. Rodger also rebuilt many damaged cars, giving a perfectly repaired car to each of his daughters, when they turned sixteen. Rodger spent many weekends, in his younger years, prospecting and chasing gold, and took the location of an ancient Spanish gold mine with him. Rodger enjoyed working, took pride in everything he did, and always finished the job. Rodger’s Sunday morning coffee with lifelong friends, Keith (deceased) and Bruce, was something he looked forward to until his health failed him.

Rodger and Becky moved to Eagle Mountain, Utah, where they retired . . . well, kind of . . . Rodger still restored Corvettes and continued to service HVAC units well into his retirement, only giving it up when his knees failed him, and his health would no longer allow him to turn a wrench.

Rodger was preceded in death by his father, Tom, and his mother, Louise. Rodger is survived by his wife, Becky; his four children: Teresa (Bradford), Tamera (Alan) McGraw, Rashell (Shane) Lassen, and BranDee (Joel) VanLeuven; 14 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Ronda and Kay.

Enjoy the ride with the top down and the wind in your hair, until we meet again. We love you, Dad, Grandpa, Friend, and Soul Mate . . . you are dearly loved and will be greatly missed.

Funeral services are to be on Monday, October 11, 2021. A viewing will be from 11:00 a.m. until Noon at Walker Funeral Home, 187 South Main Street, Spanish Fork, Utah, followed by a Graveside service at the Santaquin City Cemetery, at 12:30 pm.