GFH3: The Founder Has Completed His Final Run

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

The Founder Has Completed His Final Run

John Gurr, 1936-2013, Founder of the Great Falls Hash House Harriers, in a photo from 2010 or 2011.

Ole Fud informs me that John Gurr, also known as Last Call, died yesterday morning, Monday 29 April. While Last Call hadn't run with GFH3 regularly in recent years, he did visit occasionally. If you had a chance to walk with him and hear his stories and opinions, you know what a very wonderful man he was. Even if you didn't, if you've ever joined the Hash he began almost 31 years ago, you can probably figure it out.

From John's widow, Mary:

"As John's hospice aide said, "He has completed his journey." He died peacefully on Monday, April 29th at the memory care facility in Charlottesville.

"Brian, Chris, and I are making the preparations for his "Celebration of Life" service to be held this Sunday, May 5th at 1:30 pm. The location is Rockfish Presbyterian Church, 5016 Rockfish Valley Hwy, Nellysford, VA 22958. (www.rockfishpresbyterian.org) Following the service, the family invites everyone back to the Gurrs' house to attend a reception in John's honor.

"If any out-of-towners would like to stay in our beautiful valley, please call Enoka, who will coordinate guest room offers from our neighbors with people coming in.

"The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in John's name to the Alzheimer's Association. (http://act.alz.org/goto/johngurr)

"John was a good sport to the end. He never complained or whined, even as his mind--and body--were deteriorating. As hard as the last few years have been, we really miss him already."

I shall bring Mary's contact info to Saturday's hash for those of you who would like to send a condolence.

Thanks to Radar for the photos, which I pulled from his GFH3 gallery.


In 2007, at the 25th Anniversary run, the Mufti presented a list of the top-ten GFH3 runs.

Topping the culvert/boom box run, the bus/kayak run, the Metro run, the snowy run, etc., the #1 run was the first GFH3 run of 23 June 1982, organized by John "Last Call" Gurr following a hash he enjoyed during a business trip to Costa Rica the month before.