Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa
Thursday, November l2, l896

On Tuesday evening about 7:30 o'clock, MRS. ZENAS H. GURLEY, mother of Hon. Z.H. GURLEY, of Lamomi, left the scenes of this life to test the untried realities of eternity, where mortals are mortals no more.

The old lady was well advanced in life, and had reached the period when there was no pleasure in it, and for years had been an onerous care in the family of her son, her mind having given away except at brief intervals when she seemed to realize to some extent at least, the frailty of her condition. On the evening of her demise, after having occupied her room on the second floor, where she seemed to enjoy the quietness of a partial seclusion from the excitement of the wide awake development of vigorous childhood, and as twilight approaches with the hours for the evening meal, one of the family entering her room found her sitting complacently on the lounge with a blanket lying across her lap, as though she had but recently arisen from a position of repose, and when reminded that her supper and a light would be brought to her, she recognized the kindly reminder with a word. Soon after the family seated themselves around the supper table, and scarce had they done so when a crash as of a heavy fall arrested their attention and under the impression that the aged mother had fallen from the bed, they rushed to her room to find it empty and the window raised. MR. GURLEY at once divined that she had raised the window and had either fallen or leaped from it, and hastened to the ground where he found her with her head and shoulders lying on the board walk, and her body on the ground. He raised her up, she assisting herself materially, and carried her into the house and called a physician immediately, who found a small abrasure under her chin at the left side, and her collar bone crushed inward, and gave it as his opinion that a blood vessel had been ruptured. In this condition her consciousness and reason seem to have been fully restored to the realization of her condition, and seeing the weeping family with physician and friends gathered around her, she waved them back, requesting air, and bade them not to weep, as she felt that she was dying and desired to go, and sank calmly and peacefully to her coveted rest.

Mother GURLEY's has been a life of trial, privation and sorrow. Connected with the rise and misfortunes of the historic church of Kirtland, Far West and Nauvoo; and the privation and poverty into which her husband and family were plunged; the sacrifices and labor of herself and companion in his effectual efforts to rebuild the shattered fragments of the church, and re-establish it on a good foundation, the angel restored faith once delivered to the saints, are experiences that can be realized by none save those who saw and shared with her the deep anguish and distress through which she was called to pass in that terrible day; and from which has grown all there is of the prosperity of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, nor can anyone appreciate and sympathize with those who thus suffered and toiled, more than the writer with those who were associated in that wok of reorganization, in the early sixties. She with all her frailties and weakness was truly a mother in Latter Day Israel, and as such the reorganization may well mourn and honor one who suffered and sacrificed so much for it -- laying the foundation of any aberation of mind that might have occurred in the infirmity of years.

A rest indeed, is sorrow's need,
Where trials reach the never more,
Thy weary hands, thy tired feet
Shall dwell in safety evermore.

--J.D. BENNETT.

Copied by Nancee (McMurtrey) Siefert
"With permission from the Leon Journal Reporter"
November l4, 2002