Jerry Boswell Hourigan

Jerome (Jerry) Boswell Hourigan, age 95, passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 17, 2024, in his home in Bartlesville with his wife and children at his side. Jerry was born on Friday, October 13, 1928, in St. Joseph, MO where he spent his earliest years. His family later moved to Vandalia, IL, then on to Columbia, MO, where he graduated from Hickman High School. He attended the University of Missouri obtaining a bachelor’s degree in business. For two years, he served in the US Army National Guard in Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. He then moved to Kansas City to earn a degree in pharmacy at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Pharmacy, and later received an honorary doctorate degree in pharmacy. In his later years, he earned a degree in theology from Bartlesville Wesleyan College. Jerry began his pharmacy career in Bartlesville in 1952 with the Nutter-Hourigan Pharmacy. Two years later he opened Jerry Hourigan Prescription Center. For the next 30 years he also owned the Plaza Pharmacy and The Apothecary Shoppe. One of the highlights of his pharmacy career occurred in 1978 when Sam Walton asked him to open a pharmacy in the Walmart store located in Bartlesville. Jerry was preceded in death by all the area pharmacists of those years; when they all had soda fountains in their drugstores and helped each other out by trading prescriptions back and forth to accommodate their customers. They were all friends in this community more than business competitors. During these years, Jerry also served on many community boards and was involved in many civic activities. Jerry and Leslie met in 1977 when she started to work as the pharmacy bookkeeper. She was initially drawn to his sense of humor, but it wasn’t until after a near-death experience in December of 1978 in which he made his life right with the Lord, that they married on June 1, 1979. Within the next few years their children, Natalie and Daniel, were born. Within two years after being saved by Jesus, he was in full-time ministry, serving on staff as the Visitation & Evangelism Pastor for the next 11 years at First Wesleyan Church in Bartlesville. During this time, he became an ordained minister and traveled the Tri-State District of the Wesleyan Church (OK, AR, MO) sharing his testimony and teaching on evangelism and discipleship. He and his wife, Leslie, also traveled the country sharing their faith and attending evangelistic conventions. In 1992, he returned to pharmacy as an agency pharmacist covering pharmacies all over eastern Oklahoma for the next 15 years and retired at the age of 80 due to health reasons. Jerry loved both of his careers immensely, especially serving the Lord with “saving souls” and reaching as many as possible for Christ. Receiving his annual ministerial credentials in the summer and his annual pharmacist renewal license each October was always a joyous delight to him. He received his annual ministerial credentials in the mail three days before his death, bringing a smile to his face. Jerry’s other lifelong passion was Big Band music. During his youth, he played clarinet and saxophone in several dance bands during the iconic Big Band era. He would reflect fondly upon traveling through many states during his high school years, making enough money to pay for his college education. Watching old Big Band movies with his grandchildren has inspired them to love the music too and peak their own interests in drums, trombone and piano. Off and on through the years, he enjoyed camping with his family, where many weekends were spent at the lake. For someone who had traveled so much, “home” became his favorite place to be with his wife, and with his family and grandchildren coming over as much as possible. It was important to him that the grandchildren had plenty of Oreos, candy and ice cream! Giving the grandchildren one-dollar bills for “no reason” other than for them to “have a little money in their pocket” was his favorite thing to do the last 9 years. Jerry is survived by his wife of 45 years, Leslie; daughter, Natalie and her husband James Hamilton of Tulsa; son, Dan and his wife Kadilyn Hourigan of Bartlesville; and grandchildren Charlie and Abigail Hamilton and Benjamin and Samuel Hourigan. He was preceded in death by his parents, Claude and Bess Hourigan, his sister, Jean Dale, and his oldest sons, Johnny Hourigan and Jerry (“Little Jerry”) Hourigan. The family gives special thanks to Dr. Michael Peaster and his staff, Dr. J. Brad Jarrell and his staff and Compassus Hospice and staff for their loving care and support for Jerry and the family through the years and in Jerry’s final days. If Jerry had one more thing to say to someone, he would tell them about Jesus and urge them to turn and follow Him. His salvation not only allows us to live a life with purpose and victory, but to have an everlasting life with the Lord! We thank God for the ongoing life of Jerry Hourigan in the New Kingdom and the ongoing blessings through the lives he leaves behind. A celebration of life service will be held at First Wesleyan Church in Bartlesville on Wednesday, August 28 at 2:00pm with Pastor Joe Colaw officiating.

Jerry Boswell Hourigan

October 13, 1928 - August 17, 2024