John Farrell Hurley

John Farrell Hurley of Oxford, MD passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family at the Talbot Hospice House in Easton, MD. John was the first of six children born to John Farrell Hurley Sr. and Ann McCarthy Hurley of Schenectady, NY. Prior to retiring in Oxford, MD, John and his wife Suzie Hurley were long-time residents of Takoma Park, MD. John grew up in Schenectady, NY and was an eager student who loved baseball and scouting. John’s grandmother taught him to read at a young age, and he carried a lifelong love of learning and a commitment to understanding the world around him. John graduated from Bishop Gibbons High School in Schenectady, NY in 1963. Following in his father’s footsteps he attended the University of Notre Dame, graduating Cum Laude with a BA in English in 1967. John was a passionate Notre Dame sports fan, cheering alongside his father and family. He proudly carried on the tradition of singing the Fighting Irish fight song through his final days. John enlisted in The United States Navy in 1968. He completed Officer Candidate School in Newport RI and was commissioned as an Ensign Junior Grade. Deployed to the tank landing ship LST-1150 Sutter County in 1968 and 1969, he sailed on the Saigon and other Vietnamese rivers providing logistics support, troop transport, and riverine patrol operations. His final deployment was on the replenishment oiler ship USS Milwaukee, sailing out of the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston, Massachusetts. John received many medals of recognition and was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1970. During the 1970’s John traveled the country and lived in Jackson Hole Wyoming, Geneva NY, Syracuse NY, Cambridge MA and Brookline MA. His early career included teaching high school English and jobs selling various services. On leave in Hong Kong in 1969 John bought his first 35mm SLR camera, inspiring his passion for photography. In the late 1970’s he worked as a photographer in Cambridge, MA and continued photographing local marathons and races through the 1980’s. While he never pursued a full-time career in photography, one could often find John taking photos of his many travels, friends and family. He had a wonderful eye for beauty and art. John left the Boston area in 1983 to join the Transcendental Meditation (TM) community in Washington, DC. Through the TM community he met his future wife, Susan Gordon Miller, formerly Susan Gordon Cantrell of Huntington, Long Island NY. Their shared love of spiritual practice created a bond that would last the rest of their lives. John was an avid traveler journeying to India, Thailand, Hong Kong, the Arctic Circle, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Belize, Costa Rica, the Caribbean and the United States. He spent a summer in a log cabin in Wyoming’s Teton Mountains, hiking the Utah canyons and the Grand Canyon, and up the California coast north through Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. He explored much of New England's rich history and natural beauty while living in Boston and Cambridge. John’s most important discovery in DC was meeting the love of his life Suzie. They married on May 24, 1987, and spent the first night of their honeymoon at the Sandaways Inn in Oxford, MD, later retiring to that slice of paradise. In retirement John and Suzie shared a love of boating and the beautiful Oxford community, adding treasured friends to their peer group going back a half a century. After his father passed in 1996 John took over as the caring patriarch of his extended family, always there as the family anchor like his father before him. John retired in 2014 after nearly 30 years as a beloved and well-respected organizational management consultant. As a Senior Manager for ICF International and Macro International (2004-2014) he led research, analytical, strategic planning and improvement project teams for Federal Agencies such as the IRS and the DOD. For Achieve Global and Kaset International (1990-2003) he served as an Account Executive, consulting with corporate executives on service improvement among the nation’s top financial institutions. John was a Key Account Manager for Corporate Education Resources (1987-1990), the leading experts in corporate succession planning and executive leadership development for Fortune 50 firms. John developed a love of boating during his retirement on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and took many friends and family for boat rides on the Chesapeake Bay. At age 62 John was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). This led to his involvement in Parkinson’s support groups, particularly the University of Maryland’s Parkinson’s Symposium, Within Our Reach. This yearly daylong event gives support and resources to PD patients. John was also a beloved member of the Rock Steady Boxing program in Easton, MD. His teacher Wendy Palmer wrote in a tribute to John; “You were more than just an athlete. You were a teacher, a motivator, a connector, and a friend. You showed all of us that gentleness and strength can exist in the same heartbeat. That kindness doesn’t mean surrender. And that joy - real, meaningful joy - is still possible even in the face of something as relentless as Parkinson’s.” John’s deepest commitment and desire was his pursuit of Self-realization, starting in 1970 with his TM practice in Syracuse, NY. John later taught TM at Walpole State Prison in MA and even initiated his parents Jack and Ann into the practice. Along with the daily practice of TM and his devotion to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, John later followed Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, known as Amma, or the hugging saint. This lineage is steeped in devotion (Bhakti Yoga) and volunteer work (Karma Yoga). John found much solace in the teachings of Adyashanti in his later years. Adyashanti’s teachings shared an invitation to stop, inquire, and recognize what is true and liberating at the core of all existence. John continued meditation and spiritual practice until his last days. This lifelong dedication was evident in his openness and fearlessness as he approached his own death. He embraced surrender and saw death as a transference in consciousness versus an ending to a life. Those who knew John often describe him as a generous listener with a caring and curious ear. John was a gentle soul, deeply valuing family and community. John believed that joy was always possible to the very end. He truly touched everyone he met. John leaves behind his wife Susan Hurley and his four stepchildren. The four lovingly referred to John as their “Bonus Dad”. They include Todd Alan Miller (daughter in law Kathy and grandchildren Edward Joseph Miller and Reid Allan Miller), Patrick James Miller, Joseph Daniel Miller (grandchildren Lilith Miller, Bija Penelope Miller and Josephine Anjali Miller), Kaeti Elizabeth Miller (son in law Shawn Terrell, grandchildren Ruby Mae Terrell and Otis Scot Terrell) John also leaves behind his five siblings, Patricia Joslin (Peter), Susan Rioux, Stephen Hurley (Cathy), Joe Hurley (Cindy) and Mark Hurley (Kelly), along with 26 nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews. John is pre-deceased by his parents, Jack and Ann Hurley, previously of Schenectady, NY and brother-in-law Bob Rioux, previously of Cotuit, MA.

John Farrell Hurley

December 6, 1945 - September 4, 2025