William Pursley

TORRINGTON, WYOMING..............Memorial services for WILLIAM G. PURSLEY,96, will be held at 2:00p.m. Saturday, October 6, 2007 at the First Wyoming United Presbyterian Church with Reverend David Lee officiating. Cremation has taken place and private burial will take place prior to the services. Bill died at Community Hospital September 30, 2007. In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to the First Wyoming United Presbyterian Church or the South Goshen Presbyterian Church. Arrangements are under the direction of the Colyer Funeral Home and friends may send condolences to the family at www.colyerfuneralhome.com. Bill was born February 4, 1911 in Lafayette, Indiana to Sheridan John and Eva Mae (Misner) Pursley. In 1928, Bill along with his four brothers and parents came to Wyoming to join Sheridan?s brother Henry Pursley who in 1914 had come to an area known as the Plainview Community southwest of Lingle, Wyoming. Bill attended high school for one year in Lingle to play football and then spent his senior year at Veteran, Wyoming graduating in 1930. He and his brother Ed were members of the state championship basketball team in 1930. Bill and Gladys Titchener were married in Veteran August 28, 1934. He worked with Oscar Guth at the lumberyard in Veteran. In 1937 he was appointed to the position of rural mail carrier at Veteran a position he held for thirty-seven years. Following his retirement he and Gladys visited every state in the Union, Canada, Mexico, and Europe. Bill served on the Veteran School Board, Goshen County Planning Committee, as a Boy Scout Leader, and acted as a brand inspector. He was an avid bowler, bowling on a league for years. Then after the move to Torrington he bowled with the seniors often having the top score. One of his many skills was fly fishing. He passed this desire to fish to his family and trips to Laramie Peak were great experiences. Bill and his wife Gladys served their community in many ways. They went above and beyond what was expected. He was a member of the Veteran Presbyterian Church and when the churches joined to form the South Goshen Presbyterian Church his membership was transferred. He served the church as an elder. When he and Gladys retired and moved to Torrington, after living in the Veteran community for sixty years, their membership was transferred to the First Wyoming Unity Presbyterian Church in Torrington. Bill is survived by his daughter Shirley Steben and her husband Roger of Torrington; son Donald Pursley and his wife Janet of Lincoln, Nebraska; a brother Kenneth Pursley of Lingle, Wyoming; grandchildren, Randy and Mike Steben of Huntley, Wyoming, Sandra Johnson of Lusk, Wyoming, Jeff Pursley of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Tim Pursley of Winter Springs, Florida; thirteen great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Gladys; a son William Dean Pursley; a daughter, Sharon Kay Pursley; his parents; three brothers; and a sister.

William Pursley

February 4, 1911 - September 30, 2007