John Edward Hurwitch – beloved husband, father, brother, uncle and grandfather, passed away Friday, January 12th, at the age of 81. He was the eldest son of the late Leo and Barbara (Colpak) Hurwitch.

Born in Newton, Massachusetts in 1942. John was raised in Brookline and attended the Rivers School where he fell in love with lacrosse. He entered Harvard in the fall of 1959 where he concentrated in Economics and played football and lacrosse as well as spent free time skiing on Cannon Mountain. After graduating from Harvard in 1963, he joined the army national guard briefly before attending Harvard Business School where he earned an MBA in 1966. He joined the US Naval Reserve where he served 27 years, ending his career as a Captain, and the Reserve Intelligence Area Commander for New England.

John was privileged to work in varied businesses throughout his long career. He started at International Lock Co. in Fitchburg and moved to Hurwitch Bros., where he became President of the family business. Following that, he moved to APM inc., a healthcare management and consulting company, fulfilling a lifelong dream of working in consulting.

Described by a friend as a “hero from a 1950s movie”, he was always a great listener and mediator. His magnetic presence made him a leader wherever he got involved. A dedicated community volunteer, John was elected to the school committee for the Dover-Sherborn school district. In addition, he co-chaired his 10th and 25th Harvard Reunions and was appointed a director of the Harvard Alumni Association. He was chairman of the WGBH Community Advisory Board and a frequent participant in the WGBH fundraising auctions.

John was not limited by the near-fatal stroke he experienced in 1991. Despite being partially paralyzed, he continued his consulting after retirement. He volunteered for the Service Corps of Retired Executives where he became Regional Director of SCORE for Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

John was an avid reader of US and maritime history and collector of maritime books and instruments. However, his true passion was sailing out of Falmouth Harbor where his family had summer homes. On the water, John and long-time friend Jim Summers were the only three-time consecutive national champions of the International 210 Class. Over the years he owned numerous sailboats, trading in racing for cruising the coast of New England in his Hood 38. John continued his love of sailing in Barnstable, even winning the Marshall 18 series one summer sailing with his son Edward. He became Commodore of the Barnstable Yacht Club in its 100th year and helped establish the club’s annual Green Fleet Opti Regatta for novice sailors.

With the help of family, John enjoyed traveling to places such as Costa Rica and Brazil, where they took a riverboat up the Rio Negro. He expanded his knowledge with a decade of courses at the Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement (HILR). And through it all his favorite hours were spent sitting on the piazza in Barnstable with a book and binoculars, watching birds and boats, enjoying conversations with friends.

He is survived by his devoted wife, Mary Blue Magruder of Cambridge & Barnstable and their son Edward Hurwitch of Charlestown. Also, his four children from his previous marriage: Caroline Hurwitch of Massachusetts, Alison Hurwitch (Kurtis Brown) of Idaho, Geoffrey (Brie) Hurwitch of Utah and Thomas (Anne) Hurwitch of South Carolina. He is also survived by his nine grandchildren: Leland and Zachary Curtsinger, Samantha and Christopher Jorgenson, Meredith, Aliza and Gretchen Hurwitch, Chase and Camden Hurwitch. As well as his brothers Peter (Anne) Hurwitch of South Natick & William (Barbara) Hurwitch of Acton, and numerous nieces and nephews.