Justin Hurst WMA dedicated
By BARRY HALVORSON news@leader-news.com

Photo by Barry Halverson Addressing The Crowd Amanda Hurst, widow of slain game warden Justin Hurst, talks to the audience at the renaming of a wildlife management area in honor of her husband.

The combination of a place holding so many memories along with so many others sharing their own memories of slain Game Warden Justin Hurst triggered the emotions of his wife Amanda as she spoke at Friday's dedication ceremony of the Justin Hurst Wildlife Management area.

"Justin used to talk about taking one for the team during hunts," she said in a voice choked with tears. "I think Justin showed just what that means. I'm so proud to be here representing Justin."

In that same voice she concluded her comments by saying her son Kyle was a "creation of love" the couple shared and would be raised remembering the goodness of his father.

"I appreciate your doing this and it means the world to me and Kyle," she said. "Thank you."

Formerly known as the Peach Point WMA, the area is part of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Central Cost Wetlands Ecosystem Project. It is also where Hurst spent the first six years of his career as a TPWD biologist before becoming a game warden in 2001.

Amanda Hurst opened her comments by saying she had been thinking about what to say for several months but decided to "wing it."

She added seeing her husband's name on the signs leading into the former Peach Point WMA took her breath away. She also recalled the area as the site of one of their early dates as well as a place they spent many hours together during the time he was a biologist and she was an intern at the area.

In conducting the "official" rededication that closed out the ceremony, TPWD Executive Director Bob Cook said the decision to rename the WMA for Hurst was made almost immediately after his death.

"It wasn't two or three days after Justin was killed that the staff of the wildlife division and the staff of the law enforcement division were calling me on the phone," he said. "And they had the same comment, 'Bob, you know what should be done?' I know, rename Peach Point for Justin."

He said Hurst would remain an inspiration not only to those who knew him, but for generations to come.

"I'm thinking about (Hurst's son) Kyle bringing his own grandchildren and his great-grandchildren and their children here and remembering what Justin did for us," he said.

Also invited to speak was Game Warden John Thorne, who knew both Justin and Amanda in college and graduated as part of the 48th Game Warden Academy with Hurst.

"He was the fastest, strongest and smartest of us," Thorne said. "Everyone had the utmost respect for Justin in part because of the respect he showed others. He was a fine game warden, husband and father and as good a game warden as he was, he was 10 times as good a man."

In his comments, CCWE Project Manager Todd Merindino recalled the appreciation Hurst had for their shared profession.

"He had a devilish grin," he said. "It was like he couldn't believe that someone was paying us to do our job. And he arrived at just the right time for him. Our funding started improving and he did a lot of habitat work as mitigation projects and working with Ducks Unlimited. A lot of what is here is due to his efforts."

Merindino said his response after hearing of Hurst's death was one of denial.

"I don't think we could get our grief out," he said. "The renaming of the area, for myself and staff, is a way of getting our grief out. A way to let people know how we felt about him. Justin was outstanding, but didn't stand out. I don't think he would have liked all the fervor we put into the ceremony, but he would have liked it that the area bears his name."

Hurst was shot and killed just after midnight on March 17 following a pursuit that involved a number of law enforcement units.

He was reportedly shot four times during an exchange of gunfire. James Freeman, 27, of Lissie has been charged with capital murder in the case.