Martha Ann Hurd

Our sweet, feisty and faithful mother and grandmother, Martha Ann Hurd, has gone home to heaven after a valiant battle with cancer. She passed away on December 19, 2025, in North Logan, in her beloved Cache Valley.

Martha was born on March 14, 1938 in Logan, Utah to Raymond and Ireta Jacobsen. The only girl in a family with five brothers, she learned early to hold her own. After graduating from Logan High School in 1955, she enlisted in the Navy and departed on adventures in Maryland, Florida, and Tennessee during her training. This training included jumping from tall towers with parachutes and escaping submerged planes in swimming pools. She also managed to meet Elvis’ mother and help her weed her garden, and then enjoyed Elvis serenading her in his driveway–an entirely unsurprising series of events to anyone who knew her.

While in the navy, she met and married John William Hurd Jr. on April 18, 1958. Over their 14-year marriage, they lived both in Utah and Illinois, and welcomed five amazing daughters. After their divorce, Martha returned to Utah, where she raised her girls with grit, determination, and a good sense of humor. She was both mother and father to them and worked tirelessly for them. They were her joy and her purpose.

Over the course of her life, Martha worked as a babysitter, house cleaner, cherry sorter, salad maker, aviation and electronics technician, and devoted homemaker and mother. She also worked at both the Wurlitzer Factory and Cache Valley Dairy before retiring in 2000. Her time then became devoted to her love of travel, spending time with her family, and serving in church callings and the temple, which she enjoyed immensely. She also found time to skydive, crochet afghans and blankets for everyone she loved, and keep her legendary holiday yard displays in good order.

Martha could fix or invent anything, and her posterity strives to keep the art of “Martharizing” alive and well. She was a dedicated recorder and collector of history, and no museum could be more meticulously or lovingly curated than her house full of books, collectibles, decorations, and more than one Yoda doll. She was full of family history stories, fun facts, and interesting anecdotes every time you saw her. We feel confident she has gone straight to work in the Heavenly Family History Department revolutionizing their system.

She was a lifelong walker and never neglected the habit. Even at the end, she would practically run to the ice cream machine in the Maple Springs dining room to spoil any great grandchildren lucky enough to be with her. She endured many physical mishaps throughout her life, including splitting her head open three times in first grade, severing an artery in her arm, breaking several bones, cutting off one finger and one finger tip, and managing diabetes. But she faced it all with good grace and a ready joke, and was never one to complain or let adversity stop her.

Martha had a solid testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and never shrank from opportunities to serve, share her faith, or encourage others to live the gospel. Martha faithfully completed every assignment and calling that she was given in her life.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her brothers Lamar, Keith, and Chris; and her grandson Jeremy. We know a joyous reunion is taking place in heaven. She is survived by her daughters, Brenda (Jeff), Debbie (Kendall), Cindy (Ron), Elizabeth (Russ), and Wendy; her brothers Kay and Donald; as well as 12 grandchildren and 41 great-grandchildren. They will dearly miss her wit, wisdom, and strength.

Viewings will be held on Friday, January 2, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Nelson Funeral Home (162 East 400 North), and on Saturday, January 3, from 10:30 to 11:30 AM at the Third Ward Chapel (125 West 600 North) in Logan. Funeral services will follow at noon. Interment will be at the Logan City Cemetery with military honors.

The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to all the staff of both Maple Springs and Ascend Home Health Care, who provided hospice care with such love and compassion for Martha and her entire family over the last few months.