104 | MAY 20 • 2021 

J

oshua Mark Hurand, 
48, died peacefully at 
his home in Tucson, 
Ariz., on May 6, 2021, 
surrounded by loved ones. 
He was a beloved 
husband, father, friend, 
teacher, writer, gardener, 
advocate, connector, 
Tucson enthusiast and 
grateful human.
Born in Lansing on April 
15, 1973, to Gary and 
Carol Hurand, Joshua was 
the first grandchild of both 
his paternal and maternal 
families. He graduated 
from Carman-Ainsworth 
High School in 1991 and 
earned a bachelor of arts 
degree in education at the 
University of Michigan, 
a master of educational 
psychology degree at the 
University of Arizona and 
a master of social work 
degree from Arizona State 
University. 
Mr. Hurand worked as 
a middle school Spanish 
teacher and then a 
psychotherapist at the 
Southern Arizona Veterans 
Administration Healthcare 
System prior to fulfilling 
his dream of establishing 
a private therapy practice 
called Strategic Healing. 
Professionally, he positively 
impacted and helped 
hundreds of students, 
clients, friends and family. 
 Throughout his life, 
Josh had a dynamic 
presence and was often 
referred to as “the ultimate 
people connector.” 
He embraced life and 

relationships 
with passion, 
commitment, 
enthusiasm, 
energy and 
love. He was 
an inspiration 
to those who 
knew and loved him, and 
he openly shared his love 
and gratitude even as he 
endured the pains of his 
terminal cancer diagnosis.
Josh embraced his 
Tucson community and 
was proud of the life he 
established there. He 
served on numerous 
boards of agencies and 
organizations, most 
recently the boards of 
the University of Arizona 
Poetry Center Foundation 
and the Jewish Community 
Foundation of Southern 
Arizona.
Mr. Hurand is survived 
by Ashley (McLaren), the 
love of his life whom he 
married on Nov. 8, 2014. 
He is also survived by 
their beloved children, 
Noah Avram, 5, and Eliza 
Barbara, 3. 
 Also left to cherish his 
memory are his parents, 
Gary and Carol; adored 
sister, Sara (Elie Weiss); 
nephews, Eitan and Jonah 
Weiss, grandmother, Gloria 
Levine; father-in-law, Mark 
McLaren; brother-in-law, 
Jon McLaren; sister-in-law, 
Kirsten McLaren; aunts 
and uncles, Lynne, Robert 
(Katchen Schibilsky), 
David (Martha Salyers), 
Sally, Jeffrey (Barbara) 

Hurand, Trudy Weiss 
(Arthur) and Harriet 
Lewis; loving cousins, 
Aaron Weiss (Maureen 
Sullivan), Rachel Weiss 
Berger (Rabbi Benjamin), 
Leah Weiss (Alex Cohen), 
Annie Mandelkern 
(Kenny), Deborah Fixell 
(Ethan), Shoshana, Gates 
(Megan Campisi), Miles, 
Clay, Ashley, Jennifer, 
Reyna, Jordan Spain, and 
Nicola Reeves (Tom); many 
close friends and extended 
family members. May his 
memory be a blessing.
He was preceded in 
death by his beloved 
grandparents, Arthur and 
Bess Hurand, and Eugene 
Levine. 
A charitable contribution 
may be made to the 
Hurand Connection 
Fund at the Jewish 
Community Foundation 
of Southern Arizona, the 
National Prostate Cancer 
Foundation, the University 
of Arizona Poetry Center 
or a charitable organization 
of your choice. 
A private graveside 
service was held at 
Machpelah Cemetery 
in Flint and a recording 
can be viewed and 
tributes shared at 
sharpfuneralhomes.com. 
An additional memorial 
service was also held in 
Tucson. Arrangements 
by Sharp Funeral Homes, 
Miller Road Chapel, 8138 
Miller Road, Swartz Creek, 
MI 48473. 

A Real People Person

OBITUARIES
OF BLESSED MEMORY

continued from page 102

master’s degree in clinical 
social work at Simmons 
College (now Simmons 
University) in Boston, Mass. 
Esther and Stan settled in 
Detroit, where they raised 
Susan and Daniel. 
As a social worker, Esther 
worked primarily with 
children in public schools 
and in private practice. Since 
her retirement, many parents 
have communicated, to Dan 
and Susan, about how their 
children’s lives were vastly 
improved from having had 
Esther as their counselor/
social worker. 
Esther was greatly fulfilled 
knowing she made a 
difference for the betterment 
of the lives of her patients. 
After retirement, she 
continued doing good deeds 
for the kids and animals. She 
volunteered in several public 
schools in Tucson, Ariz., as 
a children’s tutor; one of her 
favorite activities was being 
a docent at the Detroit Zoo, 
where she especially loved 
working in the butterfly 
garden. 
Esther and Stanley were 
world travelers. Holiday 
gatherings often featured a 
slide show of their many trips 
across the globe. 
Mrs. Kirschner is survived 
by her two children, Susan 
and Daniel (Zehra); and her 
granddaughter, Leyla.
She was the beloved wife for 
58 years of the late Professor 
Stanley Kirschner.
Services and a family 
gathering will be held post 
C-19 pandemic. Contributions 
may be made to Detroit 
Zoological Society, 8450 W. 
10 Mile Road, Royal Oak, MI 
48067. Arrangements by Ira 
Kaufman Chapel.

Joshua 
Hurand

