Robert Franklin Hurst

Robert Franklin Hurst, known as Bob, of Panama City, Florida, passed away at the age of 97 on March 9, 2026, at Chester Sims Veterans Home. Born on August 22, 1928, in Corydon, Indiana, he was the son of Kenneth L. Hurst and Lavine Schuppert Hurst. He graduated from Corydon High School in 1946, enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and served aboard the destroyer USS Winslow until 1948. He then attended Indiana University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in 1952.

Bob began his career as a salesman for a hardware company in Louisville, Kentucky. While traveling in 1955, he met Sarah Huggins in Holly Springs, Mississippi. That same year, he transferred to Panama City, Florida, where he and Sarah married. He became an Amoco jobber and later founded Panama Petroleum Inc. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Sarah Huggins Hurst, on August 16, 2024, and the two are now reunited. He was also preceded in death by his three sisters, Jean Elbert, Rosemary Melton, and Isma Simler, and his brother, Joe Hurst.

He is survived by his three children: daughter Kim L. Couture (Mike) and sons Kenneth R. Hurst and Donald F. Hurst; his cherished grandchildren, Tara Allgood, April Allgood (Erik), Amber Couture (Rob), Jacob Couture (Amber), Caleb Couture (Jen), and Sarah Hurst (Aaron); and 14 great-grandchildren.

Bob’s greatest joy was his 68-year marriage to Sarah, a partnership filled with love, laughter, and family. They spent many winters fishing together at their place in Clewiston on Lake Okeechobee, where Sarah was his favorite fishing partner. He also loved golf and was a member of the Panama City Country Club for more than 60 years. He leaves behind a legacy of unwavering love, resilience, and a strong work ethic, built alongside the woman he cherished most.