Obit: Purkis, William M. (1892 - 1932)

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Surnames: PURKIS OLSON BLISH WEARS EVENSON MESSER FEIT FULLER SALTER BLOCZYNSKI KOPS JACOBSEN WIEDENHOEFT

----Sources: COLBY PHONOGRAPH (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 5 May 1932

Purkis, William M. (27 Oct. 1892 - 28 Apr. 1932)

William M. Purkis of Colby suddenly passed away at the Marshfield hospital last Thursday morning after a short illness, cirrhosis of liver being the cause of his departure to the distant shore. Funeral services were held at the home of the deceased’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Purkis, at Unity Sunday afternoon at 1:30 and at 2:00 o’clock at the Trinity Lutheran church at Unity, Rev. J. A. Olson and Rev. F. M. Blish officiating. Rev. Blish, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church, read the scripture selection and offered prayer, and Rev. Olson, pastor of the Trinity Lutheran church, delivered the funeral sermon. Internment was made in the Colby cemetery. Members of the Legion posts of Unity, Abbotsford, and Colby took part in the military funeral as the deceased had been a member of the Unity post. Members of the Abbotsford post acted as a firing squad and fired a salute at the grave and taps was sounded by H. C. Wears of Unity. Members of the Unity post acted as pallbearers - M. E. Evenson, A. E. Messer, E. J. Feit, M. L. Fuller, Arthur Salter and F. J. Bloczynski.

The deceased was born in Unity October 27, 1882, thus reaching the age of thirty-nine years and five months. He was married to Elsie Kops, daughter of Mrs. Herman Kops, at Colby in November 1917, to which union three children were born, namely: Lorraine, Virginia and Floyd. Besides his wife, parents and children, his death is mourned by three brothers and one sister and are E. Purkis, Oak Park, Illinois; Frank Purkis, Forest Park, Illinois; Clyde Purkis, Unity; Mrs. T. Jacobsen, Milwaukee.

The deceased left Unity last August and moved to Colby with his family and conducted the North Side Filling Station which he purchased from Herman Wiedenhoeft. Mr. Purkis was a member of the American Legion and the Order of Odd Fellows and members of the latter organization also accompanied the remains of their former member to the cemetery.

Although the deceased lived in Colby but a short time, he made a number of friends who esteemed him for his honesty and square dealing.

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