Sid Hurst, New Zealand farmer, Died at 97

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Sidney Murray “Sid” Hurst was born on August 12, 1918, in Oamaru and died on July 21, 2016.

He was New Zealand farmer and a pioneer of irrigation in North Otago.

Sid served as a member of the Lincoln College Council for 23 years, including six years as its chair, he advocated for the independence of the institution from the University of Canterbury.

Hurst received his education at Waitaki Boys’ High School.

In World War II, Sid Hurst served as a flight sergeant with the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Sid then became a farmer and was involved in farming sheep, deer, cattle and dairy cows, as well as orcharding, farm forestry and beekeeping.

Hurst was a founding director of the meat exporting company Fortex and a life member of Federated Farmers.

He was mostly associated with the development of irrigation in the Lower Waitaki basin from the 1960s.

Hurst was a leader of the Lower Waitaki irrigation scheme, which began operating in 1968, and later was a member of the board of the National Water and Soil Council.

He served as a member of the Lincoln College Council between 1962 and 1985, the last six years of which as chairman.

Hurst was in the vanguard of those who advocated for the autonomy of Lincoln as a university of its own right, separate from its parent institution, the University of Canterbury.

Sid Hurst was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to agriculture and education during the 1989 New Year Honours.

Sid was one of the first two recipients of an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Lincoln University, in 1993.

He was also the recipient of the inaugural J.R. Cocks Memorial Award for outstanding leadership in irrigation from Irrigation New Zealand in 2008.

During 1941, Hurst married Hazel Irene Ludemann and had five children.

Sid Hurst passed away at 97 years old.