Irving Quay (IQ) Hurdle, Jr.
 

Memorial for Irving Quay (IQ) Hurdle, Jr.

Born in Washington D.C. on Jul. 25, 1946
Departed on Jan. 25, 2014 and resided in Austin, TX.
Visitation: Friday, Jan. 31, 2014
12 pm - 5:00 pm
Service: Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014
11:00 am
Cemetery: Evergreen Cemetery

Irving Quay Hurdle Jr. was known to many of his friends as: I. Q. Hurdle III, Q, and Irv. He was born on July 25, 1946, in Washington, D.C. He was the first child born to the now deceased Irving Quay Hurdle Sr., and Thelma Louise Owens-Hurdle. He has one sister, Julia Zenobia Hurdle-Jones. He grew up in Washington, D.C and was a very happy go lucky well-adjusted child with the mind of a genius.

In his early years he attended Charles Elementary School, where he was a member of the choir and safety patrol, as well as, the staff artist for the school newspaper. He also attended Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic School, and was a member of the football team at Arch Bishop John Carroll, and Eastern Senior High School. After graduating from high school he attended Prairie View A & M College in Texas where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Nuclear Chemistry and Mathematics. He studied law at Antioch Law School.

Upon graduation from college he was recruited to work for the Hanford Project Nuclear Power Facility, in Richland, Washington. He enjoyed his work there, leaving to form his own corporation. He was the first black man to be awarded a grant from the U.S. government to develop seminars focused on corporate risk management and race relations. He crisscrossed the country performing a job he loved. His work was his passion.

His experience includes the creation and participation in establishing the cutting-edge consortium of high-tech companies including AMD, Applied Materials, DOW Chemicals, Freescale, Samsung and countless others into a research group called Semetech, an early technology development group. Irving was in charge of loss control, risk control, risk transfer and strategic risk mitigation programs for Sematech, culminating in his employment as the founding Vice President of Corporate Risk Management. From 1983 to 1988 he was licensed and worked in the financial services industry beginning with the Rotan-Mosley/Paine Webber firm, then Shearson - Lehman, Fireman's Fund, IDS Insurance Company, IDS Financial Services Company, and the American Express Family of Financial Services Companies.

Over the years Irving was an integral part of NASA, Apollo Program, Clear Lake TX - Solid Fuels Chemical Research Group; US Atomic Energy Commission, Richland, WA; Weapons Chemist, Individual Contributor Chemical Supervisor, Planner, Researcher, Lab Manager; Phoenix Enterprise Lectus Companies - Charlottesville, VA - Director of business development, training and contracts for more than 50, 000 management executives, and later provided similar services for 7 additional federal agencies and their executive employees at Germantown, MD; Consultant to Price M. Cobbs, MD, Ph D, on various training projects in the San Francisco Bay Area and emerging Silicon Valley Area; Del Green and Associates, Bay Area Technology Consultants, Hewlett Packard, National Semiconductor, and Intel Corporation; collaborative effort in the establishment of a local high school equivalency (GED) jobs, education and manufacturing programs in several states. I.Q. had long-standing friends in the National Association of Black County Officials (NABCO); the NABCO Business Roundtable; the National Conference of Black Mayors (NCBM); and the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC).

Irving was a businessman with a knack for community development and strong roots in one of the most influential families in Austin. He was a big man with a big heart whose work in the Austin community included installation of solar panels atop the Ebenezer Child Development Center. Irving took pride in negotiating grant funding from the U.S. Department of Energy spurring development in the East 11th and 12th Street corridors and partnering with Rebuild America, a national green energy foundation.

Hurdle's legacy traces back to his family as part of the African-American fabric in Austin. His grandfather, I.Q. Hurdle, was the first principal of the then-named Kealing Junior High School, serving until 1939. The elder Hurdle was also a prominent minister in the community organizing churches throughout Texas. His uncle, Erbie Bowser, was a local blues musician and icon, performing with such greats as "The Grey Ghost" on the famous 'Chitlin Circuit'.

Irving went on to form relationships with state and national leaders such as Gov. Rick Perry and former United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young.

Through time he met, fell in love with and married his soul mate, Deborah R. Duncan on September 24, 1994. His love also extended to and embraced her teenage son, Malfred, who often sought advice and wisdom from his newly found father and mentor.

Their rich courtship of (7) years and their more than (19) years of marriage awarded them with (26) wonderful, unforgettable years of togetherness. He looked forward to the seasons and the delectable tastes of Deborah's pecan pies, homemade jams, and fresh vegetables from their backyard garden. They captured moments of colorful sunsets, harvest moons, butterfly mornings and wildflower afternoons.

They traveled the world together, and had many amazing stories and anecdotes to share when they returned. Irving was a great outdoorsman. His love for camping, fishing, hunting and swimming were well known. These hobbies became more enchanting as he shared them with his beloved Deborah. His favorite places were Alaska, Canada, Colorado, Santa Fe and the islands. Deep-sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico was top of his list for adventure.


Irving loved God and knew that it was through God that he was blessed and favored to accomplish the things he did during his life. He was brought up in the Catholic Church in Washington, DC. Once he settled in Austin, he joined Holy Cross Catholic Church and made it his home church. On December 7, 1986 the Knights of Peter Claver, Inc. established Council 284 at Holy Cross Catholic Church. I.Q. Hurdle was one of the 1986 charter members of Council 284 and he subsequently served the Council in the leadership roles of Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Chairman of the Membership Committee. He was a member of the choir and held several committee positions in his beloved church. Some of his ardent support went to the Liturgical Dance Ministry of Holy Cross.

Those he left behind will truly miss him. He leaves his loving wife Deborah Duncan-Hurdle, his faithful sister Julia Hurdle-Jones (Hilliard), his stepson Malfred J. Duncan, sisters-in-law Ramona C. R. Duncan (James-d), Corine Duncan Moore (Booker T.), Violet Duncan Thomas (Albert), Alfreeda Gaskin Duncan (Rev. Louis-d), Lessie B. Graham (Rev. Earl, Jr.-d), nieces Iamanadette T. Jones-Green (Walter), Gnivri H. Turner (John), Brenda Duncan, nephews Booker T. Moore, Jr., Rev. Amos Duncan, Jason Duncan, Dr. Jonathan Duncan, great nieces and nephews Dominique and Miel, Christopher Turner, Zaire and Riley Green, (2) step grandsons Christopher, Zarick and (1) step granddaughter Ayana, along with a host of cousins, godchildren, relatives and friends to cherish his memory.

Services entrusted to A Life Celebration by Franklin, Taylor, Texas

This Memorial Obituary provided by A Life Celebration by Franklin