Huber Christian Hurst was born Feb. 19, 1900, in Logan County, Ohio. He graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in business administration in 1924 and continued at the university to receive a law degree in 1927. He also earned a master’s degree in real estate from Ohio State University in 1934.

Hurst became UF’s auditor in 1925 and was assistant professor of business law from 1927 to 1943, when he was granted a leave of absence to enter the Army. After leaving the Army in 1945, Hurst became the loan guarantee officer for the Veterans Administration in Florida. He returned to UF to teach in 1946 and continued as a professor of business law until he resigned in 1952 to handle Eisenhower’s presidential campaign in Florida, also serving secretary of the Republican State Executive Committee.

In 1953, Hurst was appointed director of the Federal Housing Administration in Jacksonville and later served as the postmaster for Jacksonville. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity, the Elks Club and the Florida Bar. He passed away on Jan. 18, 1984, leaving his entire estate to UF.