Squire
"The tide recedes but leaves behind bright seashells in the sand;
the sun goes down but gentle warmth still lingers on the land;
the music stops and yet it echoes on in sweet refrains;
for every joy that passes something beautiful remains."
Donald W. "Squire" Hurrelbrink was known in the Warren-Youngstown area as "Mr. Music". Mr. Hurrelbrink conducted the Junior Military Band continuously from 1930 through 1996. Throughout those years, Squire, espoused to thousands of young people the values of excellence, dedication, loyalty, and community awareness and responsibility, which together embody the kind of gentle patriotism for which this unique organization is today a symbol. Squire was awarded the Valley Forge Freedom Foundation's highest award, the George Washington Award, in recognition of his unique contribution to American youth. Squire's other honors include the Veterans of Foreign Wars' highest civilian award, the Silver Medal of Honor, the Boy Scouts of America's Silver Beaver Award, and Rotary International's Paul Harris Fellow Award.
It is with a deep sense of reverence, dedication, and pride that today's staff continues the labor of love he so faithfully carried out for more than 66 years. The band's current staff is composed of dedicated and talented teachers, administrators, artists and clinicians from the local communities of Youngstown, Warren, Poland, Austintown and Liberty here in Ohio and from as far away as Iowa, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Inspired by Squire's example, they share a sense of pride, tradition, and dedication to excellence which is reflected in the quality of every rehearsal and every performance.
Squire passed away peacefully at 8:00 PM, March 13, 1999, with daughters Donna and Janne at his side. Hundreds and hundreds of mourners attended the calling hours and the funeral which was held on Thursday, March 18th, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Warren. The uniformed and white-gloved band participated as honor guard for both the funeral services and interment ceremony. Music during calling hours and the funeral was provided by bands from 1965 to 1999 through the medium of recordings of the Warren Junior Military Band's performances through the years. The band played the National Anthem and Taps at the conclusion of the interment ceremony.
Click here for "Mr. H's Opus", a drawing from the Warren Tribune editorial page.
Contact JMB (click here)