Ginger Carol Hurst

Ginger Carol Hurst, 73 of Magnolia passed away on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, in Magnolia.
She was born in Gassville Arkansas in 1950 and grew up in northern Arkansas in the Mountain Home area. She graduated from Salem High School and continued her education at ASU Beebe, eventually transferring to Arkansas State University where she received a Bachelor's of Science in Education with a Major in Physical Education and Minor in Zoology. She went on to earn her Master's of Science Education, Physical Education also from Arkansas State University. Ginger was the volleyball coach, tennis coach, and an instructor at Southern Arkansas University. She exited from coaching in 1990 and attended graduate school at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville where she completed her Ed. D. She returned to Southern Arkansas University where she served as associate professor of health, kinesiology, recreation, education and as a member of the Southern Arkansas graduate studies faculty until her retirement.
To know Ginger was to love her. Her authentic, carefree nature made her easy to love. She was charming, stubborn, kind, caring, generous, humble, and joyful. It's funny that the list of words that could be used to describe her is long, but it was her inherent ability to love unconditionally that made her such a special person to know.
She never met a stranger and would do anything for all creatures, humans and animals alike. She never passed up an opportunity to rescue an animal in need, feed stray cats, or steal a dog, chained to a tree in the freezing rain (yes that really happened). She was a founding member of the Columbia County Animal Protection Society and participated in its operation for many years. She was very dedicated to the cause.
During her time at Southern Arkansas University Dr. Ginger Hurst coached volleyball for 13 years (1977-89) and was named Arkansas Intercollegiate Coach (AIC) of the Year in 1988. Her teams finished first or second in the conference seven of the last nine seasons of her career.
She coached the 1982 team to an unbeaten Arkansas Women's Intercollegiate Sports Association (AWISA) championship (14-0), and an overall record of 21-5 in that league's final season before the move to the AIC. She led SAU to back-to-back AIC titles in 1988 and 1989. Under her guidance, the Lady Muleriders accumulated a record of 223-110. The 1989 SAU team racked up a school record 42-4 mark in her final year.
During her volleyball tenure at Southern Arkansas, she coached 10 All-AWISA, 18 All-AIC, and 15 All-NAIA District 17 selections. She also signed Tracy Morgan, who was a 1989 All-AIC and All-District pick, and District 17 Player of the Year, who would go on to be an honorable mention All-America selection in her senior season of 1991.
Ginger helped the Lady Muleriders make a successful transition from the AWIS to the AIC and was the last elected AWISA president before the merging with the AIC.
Ginger also coached women's tennis at SAU from 1978-1985, compiling a 36-55 record over her eight seasons. In 1983 she had two players win both the AIC singles and doubles championships, with Leanne Johnson taking the singles title and Johnson and Shelly Grim claiming the doubles crown. Both were All-AIC and All-District 17 selections, and Terri Toland was also an All-District pick. In 1984 Grim and Toland were both All-AIC and All-NAIA District 17.
Ginger is preceded in death by her parents Virgil William Hurst and Virginia Gordon (Greenwood) Hurst and a sister Dorcas Hurst Moore.
She is survived by a brother William "Bill" Hurst and wife Patty of Bossier City, Louisiana; niece Candace Foster and John Giddings of Shreveport, Louisiana; nephew Jeremy Hurst and wife Caitlin of Doyline, Louisiana; great nephews, Aiden Foster, Owen Foster; great niece, Xilah Hurst; bonus great nephews Evan Gidding and Emmett Giddings; brother in law Jim Moore; and a host of extended family and friends.
Visitation with the family will begin at 1:00 pm on Monday, March 25, 2024, with a Celebration of Life Service to begin at 2:00 pm with Bro. David Watkins officiating at Lewis Funeral Home, Inc, in Magnolia.
Memorial donations may be made to Southern Arkansas University Foundation, PO Box 9174, Magnolia, Arkansas 71754 or CCAPS, PO Box 2003, Magnolia, Arkansas 71754.