Henry Wyatt Gurley's Obituary
Henry W. “Warthog” Gurley passed away August 9, 2022, while in the Jordan Valley Hospital in West Jordan, Utah. Henry’s health had declined over the last couple of months, and though he fought to have his health improve so that he could remain among family and friends, it was not to be. The last few hours were spent with Dean and Carol Lindsey along with Miss DeAnna or according to Henry the “Munchkin,” their great granddaughter. His sister-in-law, Barbara Gurley and nephew, Mike Gurley were there for the final goodbye.
Henry was 86 years old. He was born to James Calvin Gurley and Nannie Leola Parrish on October 17, 1936. He was born in a home located in the Trinity River bottoms of Ace, Texas. His parents were sharecroppers and moved to different locations but stayed close to the community where they were loved. Their main crops were cotton and corn. When Henry was very small, he was placed on a quilt under a tree while his mom joined in when cotton was ready to be picked. When he got a little older, he had a pillowcase as a cotton sack and joined in with the rest of the family.
There were nine children in the family and Henry was the youngest. Preceding him in death were brothers Alton, Eugene, and George; sisters Lela (Brown), Velma (Welsh-Smith), Edna (Dickens), Imogene (Fleming) and Anna (Ukmar). He is survived by one sister-in-law, Barbara Gurley and many nieces and nephews.
Henry excelled in school. He loved learning and has stayed connected with one of his English teachers who created a love of the language for him – Mrs. Betty Peebles. When his parents moved to Phelps, Texas, he rode the bus to attend Huntsville High School. He became involved in several activities and when he graduated in 1955, he was Valedictorian of his school. He was presented with a one-year scholarship to college. When the call to service became strong, he and his friend Nathan Higginbotham caught the train in Phelps and headed to do their duty.
Later in life, he was an auditor for Sperry Rand of green stamp fame. He traveled a lot and made many friends along the way. That phase of his life changed after health problems and his love of writing became more pronounced. He authored several novels and books of religious poetry. His friend Buddy Durham has helped to share his poetry with so many online.
Henry loved to play games – but was passionate about Duplicate Bridge and was sought after as a partner and mentor. He attained the rank of Ruby Life Master in January 2020. He was instrumental in developing a bridge quiz that continues today. Quizbridge.wixsite.com and can be accessed by depressing CTRL +click on the site. The site also includes many of the poems he has written, reference to the books he has authored, links to puzzles he enjoyed, and one book completed and not published. This book is on the web site and can be accessed free of charge.
Five years ago, Henry moved to Herriman, Utah with his friends, Dean and Carol Lindsey. He would often share about the trips they took and their life there. He would especially talk about the “Munchkin” and the excitement she lent to the group.
Henry’s membership remained with St. Timothy Lutheran Church at 14225 Hargrave, Houston, TX.
A memorial service will be held a St. Timothy starting at 10 AM on September 27, 2022.
In lieu of flowers for his memorial, a donation may be made to his church.
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