Celeste Hurley

Scarlett Celeste Manigold Hurley passed away on May 2, 2024. She was born in El Paso, Texas on April 26, 1959 to Robert E. and Jo Ann W. Manigold. She attended Bel Air High School where she played flute in the band and was inducted into the National Honor Society. After high school, she graduated from Sam Houston State University with a degree in Criminology and Corrections. On August 16, 1980 she married Philip W. Hurley and the first year of their marriage, Celeste served as a police officer at Texas A&M University. They moved to Lubbock where Celeste attended Texas Tech University and graduated with a Masters degree in Education. She went on to work as a counselor with Girls Town, a probation officer, a parole officer, and a caseworker with MHMR Authority of Brazos Valley. Celeste and Philip relocated to Bryan, TX and raised six children and were foster parents to three others. Although Celeste was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis soon after she moved to Lubbock, she did not allow it to slow her down and continued to educate her children at home and performed home studies as a licensed professional counselor helping dozens of families with adoptions. Because she trusted in Jesus at the age of 15, we can be confident that she has a new life in Heaven and is reunited with friends and loved ones who have gone before. While in college, Celeste served with Baptist Student Ministry. She was nursery coordinator at First Baptist Church of Bryan and served with Philip as president of the Brazos Valley Christian Home Educators Association in addition to teaching government classes in the Wheelock Homeschool Coop. 

She is survived by her husband, her parents, her brother C. Blaine Manigold, her children and their spouses, Matthew R. (Helen), Timothy L. (Savannah), Andy W. (Lauren), Sarah Carlson (Andrew), James H. and Liz C; her grandchildren, Victoria, Oliver, Harper, Kenzi, Lillian, Luther & Levi; her uncles and aunts, Ed & Madeleine, Walter & Karen, Patricia, John, Frank & Diane, Jessica & Ben, and Billie Kay along with numerous cousins. 

A celebration of life service will be observed on 5/18/24 at 11:00 a.m. at Reliance Baptist Church, 6925 Reliance Church Road, Bryan Texas, 77808. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Gideons International or MS Society.