Margaret Banks Hurtes

Margaret Susannah Banks Hurtes, age 88, born January 1, 1922, in Charleston, SC to Jacob Marvin and Mary Cecilia Bellinger Banks, passed away peacefully Monday, October 11, 2010 at her home in Charleston, SC after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. She married Milton Hurtes, the love of her life, in December 1941 in Moncks Corner, Berkeley County, SC.  There was never a more devoted couple.  Margaret is a direct descendant of Edmund Bellinger I. Landgrave, who was deputy for Thomas Amy, ship's captain, and first Attorney General of the two Carolinas; and Col. Stephen Bull, Esquire, attorney-at-law and deputy surveyor under the Lords Proprietors who arrived 1670 on the ship Carolina and was the son of Josias Bull and Katherine Agard.  Her Bull line has been proven in the Order of the Crown of Charlemagne in the United States of America as well as the Order of the Merovingian Dynasty.  Both her Bellinger & Bull lines have been proven in the Society of First Families of South Carolina 1670-1700.  Margaret was a graduate of Memminger High School and attended the College of Charleston. She was also a member of The Cathedral of St. Luke & St. Paul's Episcopal Church, the DAR and the UDC and a direct descendant of Eustace St. Pierre Bellinger, a signer of the Ordinance of Secession.

Mrs. Hurtes was an ardent bridge player and achieved Silver Life Master.  She traveled all over the world with her beloved husband, Milton, by her side.  The beauty she created was extraordinary, both in her garden and in her needle work.  She loved sewing, crocheting and needlepoint.

Margaret had one sister, Mary Cecilia Banks Hughes, who died in 1992 and was survived by Hamilton Boykin Hughes, Jr., her only son of Charleston, SC.

Margaret is survived by her loving husband, Milton Hurtes, two children, seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Her daughter of Fairfax County, VA is Virginia Susan (Hurtes) Rouse, former wife of Capt. James Richard Rouse.  Their children are Richard Prescott Rouse, Ph.D., and his wife Michelle, of Sunnyvale, CA: Mark Andrew Rouse, his wife Mary Virginia (From) Rouse and their daughter Elizabeth Virginia Rouse, all live in Exton, PA; Heather Michelle (Rouse) Becker and Edward Becker and their children Jack Stratton Becker  and Casey Edward Becker all of Long Beach, CA; Ryan Randal Rouse and his wife Margaret Elaine Mello who live in San Francisco, CA; and Tamara Renee Rouse of Fairfax County, VA. Margaret is also survived by her only son, William Edmund Hurtes and his wife Eleanor Wallace Hurtes who live in Charleston, SC and their daughter Margaret Elizabeth Hurtes of Mount Pleasant, SC and their son William Matthew Hurtes of Costa Rica.

The family would like to thank Bill and Eleanor for the loving care they gave her throughout her illness. Margaret was a lovely southern lady and will be missed by all who knew her.

A visitation will be held at J. HENRY STUHR, INC., DOWNTOWN CHAPEL, Thursday between 5-7 pm. The relatives and friends are invited to attend her funeral service at the graveside in Riverview Memorial Park, Friday, October 15, 2010 at 11 am.

Memorials may be made to Lutheran Hospice, 1885 Rifle Range Road, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464.