Kenneth Hurst, 78, a former 39th Ward committeeman and GOP candidate for mayor of Chicago, died Wednesday of a heart attack in Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke`s Medical Center.
Born in San Francisco, Mr. Hurst was raised on the Northwest Side. His father, Verne Hurst, founded John Plain & Co., a Chicago-based mail order business.
Mr. Hurst worked for more than 20 years in the floor covering industry.
In the 1970s, he turned to financial consulting and real estate sales before embarking on a political career in the mid-1980s.
He served as GOP committeeman from 1984 to 1988 and ran unsuccessfully for the state legislature in 1984 and for the Cook County Board of (tax)
Appeals in 1986.
In 1987, Mr. Hurst ran in the GOP primary for mayor. When Mayor Harold Washington died later that year, Mr. Hurst sued unsuccessfully to stop a special election that was held in 1989.
In 1989, he took the position of special assistant to Democratic Cook County State`s Atty. Cecil Partee, and then went to work for Democratic Cook County Treasurer Edward Rosewell in 1991.
”He was extremely energetic,” said his former lawyer and longtime friend Russell Stewart. ”Here`s a guy who was 78 years old, and in eight years he made a political career for himself.”
Mr. Hurst is survived by three daughters, Kendra, Shelley Picardi and Fawn.
Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. Friday in Rago Brothers Norridge Chapels, 7751 W. Irving Park Rd.
