CAMDEN — Roger Lee Hurley, January 7, 1948 to March 25, 2022

Born in Tucson, Arizona, January 7, 1948 to Katharine (Dickey) and Glenn Allen Hurley, younger brother to Ralph J. Hurley, Roger spent his early years in the southwest living in Tucson, Arizona, El Paso, Texas, Winfield, Kansas, and Ponca City, Oklahoma before moving to Newton Falls, Ohio in 1956. In Newton Falls, Roger was surrounded with the love of his mother’s large family, particularly that of his uncle and aunt, Ed and Chopko.

Their son Eddie, together with Roger and Ralph, shared all the boyhood antics that made for wonderful memories and stories shared around the dinner table but best not shared in a public newspaper. One can only wish every boy such youthful adventures and tales to retell in their old age. Roger’s bond with, and affection for, Eddie, his brother Ralph, and his entire family in Newton Falls was lifelong. He carried his memories of those times throughout his life, particularly times spent working the lunch counter at his aunt and uncle’s restaurant, “Eddie’s Haven,” where the boys would run during their school lunch break, bus a few tables, and gobble down the special of the day before racing back to school. Another favorite memory was a boyhood trip to Florida with Eddie, his Uncle Ed, and Aunt Anne. Roger was always grateful for the time and love his aunt and uncle invested in him throughout his life, but particularly during his childhood.

After moving to Newton Falls, Roger’s mother worked as a nurse at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Warren, Ohio and made a point of instilling in her sons the positive values that led to Roger earning the rank of Eagle in Boy Scouts as a member of the Newton Falls Methodist Church Scout Troop.

Roger was a natural athlete, tall thin, and coordinated. His uncle Ed was a skilled golfer and under his teaching, Roger also became a skilled golfer. In high school, Roger played on the Newton Falls basketball team where they made a run for the State Championship under his beloved math teacher and coach, Gene Zorn. Today, the high school gym is named for Coach Zorn and a mural of Roger and his teammates is proudly displayed on the wall.

Later, after starting his own family, Roger took up skiing, hitting the black diamonds in Breckenridge and spending many winters with family and friends skiing at Crystal Mountain. He was a PADI certified scuba diver, Little League baseball and softball coach, a USPTA certified coach of the Greenville High School girls’ tennis team, coach of the Greenville Jr. High boys’ basketball team, assistant coach of the New Madison High School boys basketball team, a football referee and baseball umpire, and later a basketball referee for Greenville and New Madison, Ohio schools. In 2003, just three year after having quadruple bypass surgery Roger ran and finished the Las Vegas Marathon, never having run a marathon before.

After high school and during summers while in college, Roger worked as a waiter at the Silver Dollar Cafe at Cedar Point Amusement Park, Sandusky, Ohio. He loved all the activity and people that were part of a fast-paced business. Later in life he would occasionally say, “I should have opened a restaurant,” or “I should have been a teacher and coach.” He loved being around people, telling jokes, and doing something active.

He attended college at the University of Akron where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering, following in his brother’s footsteps. Roger had incredible analytical reasoning skills.

After graduating, he enrolled in law school. At the end of his first year of law school, Roger married Sandra Lee Scheid, July 22, 1972. Sandi taught school while Roger attended law school and worked as the manager of a ten story campus dorm, where he and Sandi lived. After graduating with his Juris Doctor degree,

Roger took a job as Assistant Prosecutor with the Darke County, Ohio Prosecutor’s Office before joining the law firm of Spidel, Staley, Hole and Hanes, where Roger quickly became a partner. He was elected to the bench as County Court Judge and served as Judge and law partner until his retirement at the end of 2005.

His children Michael Patrick Hurley and Katharine Renae Hurley (Stylianos Christofides) were born and raised in Greenville, Ohio before Michael went off to the U.S. Naval Academy and Kate went to the U.S. Air Force Academy. Roger was incredibly proud of his children’s accomplishments and was regularly seen about town wearing various Navy and Air Force sweatshirts, jackets, and hats, right up to the time he died.

On June 18, 2005, Roger married Mary Kay Felton, adopted her only minor child, Anna Mari Ingraham Felton, and became a stepparent to her adult children, John Felton Shives (Cassy Burkett), and Simona Radu Payer Shives (Michelle Jacobe). Together Roger and Mary Kay had Emma Whitmore Felton (2009) and Ellison (“Elle”) Ingraham Felton (2010). Roger sat for the Maine Bar as soon as Elle was born and the family moved to Camden, Maine in the summer of 2011. Roger set up a private law practice at 48 Washington Street until moving his office to his home in 2020 during the Covid pandemic.

When not practicing law, Roger spent his time attending to all the things Mary Kay cooked up for the kids: Sundae Monday ice cream parties, backyard luaus, and campouts with up to 30 elementary schoolers in tents at any given time. There were countless pool parties in summer and winter driveway parties during Covid. He could regularly be found on a ladder stringing lights for yet another kid-fest, or fishing a spider out of the pool surrounded by screaming little girls. The neighbors were often amazed at his non-stop energy. There were annual trips to Disney World, concerts and outings, and vacations with children and grandchildren. Roger was adventurous and loved to travel. His adventures took him to China, Egypt, Italy, the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Hungary, Honduras, the Cayman Islands, Canada, Mexico, and Hawaii, as well as to states across the Continental US.

There were many more adventures left to live, especially with Emme and Elle, when he passed away suddenly on March 25.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Kay; his first wife, Sandi; his children Michael, Kate, Anna, Emme and Elle, stepchildren John and Simona; his grandchildren Gavin and Ava Hurley, Alexander and Jackson Vaca, Annais Christofides, Asher, Lander, Juniper, Mackayler, Skyler, and Draken Shives; his brother, Ralph, sister-in-law Joanna; his cousin and best friend, Eddie, and Eddie’s wife Diane.

Father, Husband, Attorney, Athlete, Mentor, Friend. Godspeed, Roger.

Those wishing to offer condolences may do so at the Long Funeral Home, Camden, on Thursday, March 31, between the hours of 5 and 7 p.m. Condolences and memories may be shared at www.longfuneralhomecamden.com.

If desired, memorial gifts may be made to the Roger L. Hurley Children’s Educational Fund, c/o, Camden National Bank, P.O. Box 310, Camden, ME 04843.