Graham John Britton Hurst
Graham John Britton Hurst, Ph.D. passed away peacefully on March 5, 2025, at the age of 65 at Lisaard House Hospice in Cambridge, Ontario. Beloved spouse of Judy Eileen Hurst (Keenan) the love of his life, cherished father of Jeremy and Derek (Chloe) and proud Grandad of Angus. Loving son of Cynthia Hurst of Kingston, Ontario, and the late Warren Hurst. Dear brother of David (Kathleen) and Wendy. Dear brother-in-law of Anne and Joan (Steven), and uncle to Andrew, Jonathan, Tim, Rachel, Devon, Briar, Julie, Michael, Morgan, James and Marina.
Born in Toronto, Graham was a man of immense intellect, unwavering kindness, and an ever-present force in the lives of those around him.
A gifted mind, Graham earned a Ph.D. in Theoretical Chemistry from Cambridge University on a Commonwealth Scholarship after graduating with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Queen’s University. His love of problem-solving extended far beyond academia. Whether tackling complex research or patiently teaching maths to his sons, he had a rare ability to make the abstract understandable.
Graham pursued a post doctorate at IBM in Kingston, New York, followed by a long and successful career at Hypercube and Sybase (now SAP), in Cambridge, Ontario, retiring in 2018.
But Graham’s true brilliance lay in his generosity. If someone had a problem, he would go out of his way to help, expecting nothing in return. He believed in people, never held grudges, and approached life with a steady, pragmatic optimism. The signature mantra given to him by one beneficiary of this optimism, "Keep Calm and Graham On," perfectly captures his approach to both challenges and triumphs.
Graham had a great love of fishing and campfires at the family cottage at Logan Lake. An avid skier, his winter weekends were happily spent with his family at Osler Bluff Ski Club in Collingwood, Ontario.
Graham will be deeply missed, but his impact—through his intellect, kindness, and steady hand— lives on with his family and all who had the privilege of knowing him.
Cremation has taken place and a Celebration of Life will follow. Donations may be made to the ALS Society, or Lisaard House Hospice in Cambridge, Ontario.
Messages and condolences may be left at www.tricitycremations.com. Please visit Graham’s obituary notice on Facebook.