Goodbye, Ms. Hurd
Students at John Burroughs High in Burbank will come to school today for the first time without a teacher that, by the looks of it, was very well-liked and will be missed dearly.
This morning we’re reporting Tania Hurd was one of three passengers killed in a helicopter crash this weekend on Catalina Island. Sadly, the coroner can’t confirm it’s her yet – they have to use dental records to be sure because she was burned so badly. The quote from the Associated Press was “burned beyond recognition.”
Hearing her name I’m reminded of a teacher I knew growing up – a Mrs. Hurd that taught kindergarten. She wasn’t my teacher but I knew her well because she helped a lot at church and lived just a few blocks from where I grew up. She was close friends with my mother - still is.
One of the saddest parts of this story, certainly, is that Ms. Hurd leaves behind a son – a freshman at JBHS. Messages left at the memorial have notes to “Max” – we can only assume that is him. One former student left his graduation medallion from the California School of Culinary Arts and a note saying Ms. Hurd deserved it more than he did – she founded the Culinary Class here.
Grief counselors will be here today to help students and staff who think they need it. And certainly, those who wish can leave messages here on our blog – perhaps share some stories about Ms. Hurd, teach us all something we dind’t know about her – something like a “final class” in her honor.
Filed under: Uncategorized | 6 Comments
Tags: Catlina Island, helicopter crash, JBHS, John Burroughs, Tania Hurd
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Mrs. Hurd was a wonderful teacher with a passion for her art.
She always came up with exciting recipes to learn in class and always taught us something that would go a LONG way. She taught us fun tricks such as beautifully plating our food with different sauces and how to make different cuts to make our food look fun and interesting. She also loved having the class do their own thing from time to time, even going so far as to have each of US do our own cooking demo/”show” for the class.
On the Friday before she died, she had just announced that we would be having an Iron Chef competition in our class for our final exam and each class and their own specialty ingredient.
I wasn’t extremely close to Mrs. Hurd, I was just one of her many pupils. She always had a smile on her face, even when she was frustrated. I only wish I had seen her Prom night with my “partner in crime”, just once. I am glad she had a great time on her last night, all the same.
RIP Mrs Hurd.
You will be missed by hundreds and you’ll always be in our thoughts and hearts.
It was a privalege and an honor to have ms hurd as a teacher and friend..she will be truly missed!
I knew Tania Hurd since the 6th grade, growing up in Burbank. We attended Robert Louis Stephenson Elementary and David Starr Jordan Jr. High together. Although I live in Texas now, I still kept in touch with Tania and all of my old high school friends. I last saw her in Burbank on April 5th, at a murder mystery party I attended at my brother’s house. Yes, the high school group was there, all being as clickish as we ever were; telling old stories, but always creating new ones. Tania always had a smile on her face and never had an unkind thing to say about anyone. My heart goes out to Wanye, Max, Charlie and everyone that loved Tania. I will attend the service to honor her, but of all the memories we’ve made, this will be a regretable one.
MS. HURD WAS A WONDERFULL TEACHER SHE NEVER GOT MAD AT ANYONE AND SHE WAS ALWAYS THEIR TO HELP YOU OUT AND TALK TO YOU WHENEVER YOU NEEDED SOMEONE TO TALK TO. ITS HARD TO BELIEVE SHES GONE I STILL HOPE AND PRAY THAT THEY MADE A BIG MISTAKE AND MS. HURD IS OKAY I DONT KNOW ITS JUST SOOOO HARD SHE WAS MORE THAN A TEACHER I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST WALKED IN HER CLASS I TOLD ONE OF MY FRIENDS “HERE WE GO LETS SEE WHAT KIND OF ATTITUDE THIS ONE HAS” THEN I REALIZED THAT WOW THIS ONES DIFFERENT AND YES I WAS RIGHT SHE BECAME MORE THAN A TEACHER TO ME, WHEN MY GRANDFATHER PASSED AWAY MS. HURD WAS THE ONLY ONE I ACTUALLY OPENED UP TO AND SHE TALKED TO ME ABOUT IT AND TOOK THE TIME TO MAKE SURE I WAS OKAY. I WILL MISS HER SOOOOO MUCH ;( THEIR WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER ONE LIKE HER SHE WAS ONE OF A KIND SHE WAS AN ANGEL AND NOW SHES IN A BETTER PLACE I LOVE HER AND WILL ALWAYS HAVE HER IN MY HEART.
Ms. Hurd was one of the best teachers I’ve ever had. Many in fact don’t see her so much as a teacher but as a very good friend. Just last Thursday someone had asked her if she liked her job, and she had replied with: “Yes, in fact I do love my job, because of you guys. My students are like my children to me.” She was always so proud of her students and never had anything bad to say. She would eagerly talk about us outside of like we really were part of the family.
Everywhere she went, she carried this happiness that seemed to spread so easily. Ms. Hurd had this smile… and the best warm hugs you could get. Her sense of humor would unlike any others, and she had the best laugh that would cheer up anyone no matter how sad they may be. If anyone needed to talk she was one of the teachers you could count on. No one could stay sad around her for long. She was a head-strong caring woman who loved life, and loved others and always looked at the bright side of things. She truly deserves the best, and we all miss her so much.
It’s so hard to believe she really isn’t going to be there to greet us in the morning and just be there to support us. It seems so surreal, and many of us are in denial. My friends and I had hoped that she’d come this morning and prove things wrong; we hoped she’d still be there. Facing that truth today was hard on many people, but we have to realize that she wouldn’t want us to be sad over her death, but rather take this time to look back on all of the great things we’ve all done together… I as well as some other people are just glad she had gotten her wish, and that she’s in a happy place.
Ms. Hurd is loved, missed, and cherished among those who remember her.
It was an honor and a privalege to have had Ms. Hurd as a teacher and friend…She was truly one of a kind…May she Rest In Peace Forever!!