Ephon Roy Hurst

Ephon Roy Hurst, age 78, of Lorain, Ohio, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, November 15, 2025, surrounded by his loving family following a brief illness.

Born November 13, 1947, in Eastman, Georgia, Roy was the son of the late Othafus and Eunice Hurst (née Bozeman). He graduated from Peabody High School in Eastman, Class of 1966. Shortly after, he relocated to Lorain to live with cousins. Roy worked for U.S. Steel in the bar mill for over 30 years, retiring in 2000. He was a proud member of the Local 1104 Steelworkers Union.

Ephon was fondly called Roy by his family and friends, and was known for his musical talents, especially for playing the harmonica and bass guitar. He loved all kinds of music, but the blues was his greatest passion. A skilled mechanic and “Mr. Fix-It,” he enjoyed tinkering with electrical gadgets and working on projects of all kinds. Family was at the center of his life, and he cherished taking his loved ones back to Georgia each August for “The Big Meeting” church homecoming reunion that brought together family and friends. He was deeply involved in his grandchildren’s lives, often driving them to school, planning family gatherings, and creating lasting memories.

Roy will be lovingly remembered by his devoted wife of 57 years, JoAnne Hurst (née Fitzpatrick); daughters Wendy Cummings (née Hurst), Joyce (Donald) Akins, and Sonya Lee (Carlos) Brown; eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; sisters Jestean Johnson and Louise Hurst; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his son Ephron R. Hurst, Jr.; parents Othafus Hurst, Sr. and Eunice Hurst (née Bozeman); brothers Othafus Jr., David, and Lonnie Hurst; sister Corinne Singleton; uncle Rufus Hurst, and cousins Bessie Daniels and Rose Newkirk.

Visitation will be held Saturday, November 22, 2025, from 10am until time of service at Noon at the Brown-Robinson Funeral Home and Celebration Center, 6075 Middle Ridge Rd., Lorain OH 44053. Burial will take place at Elmwood Cemetery, Lorain.