"He did more in 32 years than most people do in a
lifetime," said his mother, Dorothy Hourican. "He touched our lives in such a
way that will never be forgotten."
The foyer of the church was decorated with two large photo collages of Hourican showing
him in a variety of poses wearing suits, T-shirts, tuxedos and swimming trunks. The common
thread to the pictures was that he was always in the center of things, flashing his big
smile.
The mourners at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in the Richmond District included many
San Francisco police officers and firefighters - all dressed in civilian garb.
Many mourners were Irish Americans who, like Hourican, work in the construction
business. Several members and officials from the building trades unions also attended,
including John Moylan, former head of plasters union and a member of the Golden Gate
Bridge District commission.
Others, like Philpott, know the Hourican family. Dorothy Hourican works as a bank fraud
investigator and has frequently assisted police investigations.
"He was a great kid," Philpott said. "He was just the life of any party
he went to. . . . This is something that has shocked a lot of people because of the
senselessness."
Hourican, a lifelong San Francisco resident, was killed Aug. 16 after a confrontation
with another man that police say stemmed from a minor traffic incident.
Louis Waldron, 22, of Larkspur has been arrested and charged with murder. The City's
Irish community has mobilized to ask prosecutors to charge two men who were with the
alleged killer.
Dorothy Hourican drew frequent applause in a eulogy during which she said her son had
made hundreds of friends in the Bay Area and during his world travels.
She described how he liked to play with his nieces and often talked about his love for
kids.
"He looked forward to having a family of his own," but never had the chance,
she said.
In other developments in the case, Supervisor Angela Alioto, a mayoral candidate, has
announced plans hold public hearings on crime in the Sunset District on Sept. 21. The
hearings are planned before the Board of Supervisors' Health, Public Safety and
Environment Committee.
Police said several potential witnesses had come forward after a widespread public
campaign that included a letter to Sunset residents from Jordan.<
