| Obit For | Amos Mason Gurley |
|---|---|
| Headline | - |
| Text | Amos M. Gurley, prominent Barry County Banker and for many years one of Southwest Missouri's leading hardware and implement dealers, and widely known in Public life, passed away early Saturday morning, February 6. in the Stella Hospital. Mr. Gurley had been suffering for a long while from stomach ulcers. He finally decided to go for an operation. He entered the Stella Hospital and underwent the operation Wednesday, February 3rd. The operation proved in vain for the once constitution with which Mr. Gurley had been blessed had been preyed upon so long and to such an extent that he was unable to recover. Funeral services were held Monday afternoon, February 8, at the Methodist church in Purdy, conducted by Re. E.W. Love of Joplin, a former Pastor at Purdy. Burial was in the Purdy Cemetery with the Blankenship undertakers in charge. Amos M. Gurley was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. George Gurley, prominent pioneer residents of Newton and Barry counties. When a young man he and his younger brother, who died in July 1909, became associated with their father in the hardware and implement business in their home town, which had just been established. George Gurley established a business there and along with other pioneers business and professional men; among them being O. L. Rose, J. K. Northcutt, D. L. Baylor, Horace R. Williams, W. E. Smith, Dr. R. B. Gladden, A. B. Morris, and W. I. I. Morrow, soon made Purdy one of the leading trading centers in the county. Since that time Amos M. Gurley had been active in the affairs of Purdy and one of her most prominent citizens. Some forty years ago, he and a few other Purdy citizens organized a bank at Purdy. Mr. Gurley was elected its president. The bank prospered and in later years was made a National Bank. Mr. Gurley had been president of the bank from the date of its organization until he passed away. He had been active also in religious and fraternal affairs. He became a member and was one of the pillars of the Presbyterian church organized in Purdy and was one of the charter members of the Purdy Masonic Lodge. Amos M. Gurley was born January 9, 1870. At the time of his death he was 73 years old. He was born on Oliver's Prairie in Newton county. His parents moved to Purdy when he was a young man and that had since been his home. He was united in marriage to Nancy Fly, September 5, 1894. To them were born three children: George, deceased; Miss Katherine Gurley of St. Louis, and Amos Jr. of Fort Worth, Texas. He was a man of unusual executive ability and reorganized over Southwest Missouri as one of this section's out-standing business men. For many years Mr. Gurley took an active interest in public affairs and served as Chairman of the Republican County Committee, and for several years was a member of the Republican State Committee. In 1916 and again in 1918, he was prominently mentioned as a candidate for Congress from what was the 16th Missouri District, composed of seven counties. He served as Postmaster at Purdy but had no desire to hold public office. Few men were ever more loyal to his friends that was Amos Gurley. He was a man of deep convictions and never hesitated to express his views. During his last years he had not enjoyed good health but he seldom complained. He always took a common sense view of life and the ill to which mortal are heir. In his death Barry county has lost one of her out-standing citizens. He is survived by his widow, one daughter, Miss Kathryn, of Austin, and one son, Amos Junior who is in the insurance business in Ft. Worth, Texas. Surviving are his widow and two children, and one grandson, a son George Gurley, deceased. |
| Newspaper or Funeral Home | |
| Date | Feb. 1943 |
| Death Cert Link | Death Certificate |
| Resource | |
| Submitted by | Jack Fly |
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