PURSLEY, Erastus "Ras": Born 1883

PARSLEY, CLARKE, REED

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 3/19/2014 at 11:10:17

PROMINENT VALLEY PIONEER CROSSES THE GREAT DIVIDE

Ras Pursley passed away suddenly Sunday morning at his home in the Excelsior district following a heart attack. Mr. Pursley went out early in the morning and got the car ready for his wife to go to Alamosa, where she has been assisting as nurse, in the Community hospital, to resume her duties. On his return to the house, as he entered the door, he fell to the floor. Mrs. Pursley rushed to him and helped him to bed, she then called a doctor and summoned John B. Red, a neighbor. Mr. Pursley passed away about 10 minutes after Mr. Reed arrived, and had been dead about 10 minutes when Dr. Davlin arrived from Alamosa.

Erastus Pursley, "Ras," as he was devotedly called by all who chanced to know him, was born January 16, 1883, in Jackson County, Tenn. He came to Colorado March, 1885, at the age of 2 years, with his parents, and they settled in the San Luis valley, where they established a home west of La Jara, and where Mr. Pursley lived until 1910, when he moved to town. He was married to Miss Etta Reed in 1914, and they made their home in La Jara until 1931, when they moved to the farm in the Excelsior district.

He was well known throughout this section of the valley and had many friends, who extend to Mrs. Pursley their deepest sympathy, in this, her hour of great sorrow.

Mr. Pursley spent the greater part of his life on a farm and the cattle range and had been very successful in this line of industry.

He was a good neighbor and a loyal friend and liked by all who knew him.

Besides his widow the deceased left to mourn his passing two brothers, Frank Purlsey of California, and Charles Pursley of Safford, Ariz., and a niece, Mrs. Clyde Clarke, of La Jara. Both brothers came to attend the funeral. Charles arriving Monday and Frank Tuesday.

Funeral services in charge of Lorton and Allardice were held yesterday afternoon at 2 o'clock in the L.D.S. church at Richfield. Opening prayer was by John W. Shawcroft. D.E. Shawcroft was the speaker.

A chorus composed of Mrs. Grace Bodley, Mrs. Arzella Gylling, Mrs. Vidella Nielson, Mrs. Geneva Guymon, Ross and Ren Johnson and Troy and Howard Shawcroft, sang "He Knows," and "Abide With Me." Troy and Howard Shawcroft sang "Sometime, Somewhere."

Pallbearers were Floyd, Clad and Orin Reed (brothers), Norman and Orland Reed (brothers) and Othello Reed. The church was filled to capacity with relatives and friends, who gathered to pay their last respects and the flowers were many and beautiful. A large procession of cars followed the hearse to the La Jara cemetery, where the remains were laid to rest by the side of the graves of departed members of the Pursley family, who had preceded him to the Great Beyond.

Source: Scrapbook of Unknown Origin, Page 108