Pursley, Frances Roberta "Bobbie"   	

Services for Frances Roberta "Bobbie" Pursley will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, 
October 6, 2007, at the chapel of Welch Funeral Home. Burial will follow in 
Lakeview Cemetery.

Ms. Pursley died peacefully on Wednesday evening, October 3, 2007, at Songbird 
Assisted Living.

Roberta "Bobbie," or "Bert" as she was known to friends and family, was born 
April 1, 1925, in Duncan, Oklahoma, to Wilbert "Bert" and Eva Marie Bryson 
Pursley. As a young child, the family relocated to Tyler and later White Oak, 
where Bobbie graduated from high school in 1942.

After graduation, Bobbie attended nursing school at Methodist Hospital in Dallas. 
She began her career in labor and delivery, but soon developed a passion for 
public health. She completed her bachelor's in public health nursing at Incarnate 
Word in San Antonio.

Returning to Dallas, Bobbie joined the public health department where she worked 
tirelessly to extend health services to the often underserved members of the 
community. One of her proudest accomplishments was the establishment of the first 
family planning clinic in Dallas. Bobbie decided to continue her education and 
completed her master's degree at University of North Carolina ? Chapel Hill.

Returning to Texas, she joined the faculty of Texas Women's University, where she 
greatly enjoyed the opportunity to help train future generations of compassionate 
caregivers.

But the call of public health nursing lured Bobbie out of the classroom. In 1971, 
she relocated to Austin to join the Texas Department of Public Health. There, 
Bobbie pursued her passion for family and neo-natal health by supporting county 
health department programs state-wide. In this role, Bobbie traveled the state 
extensively, making friends in every county and corner of the state she so deeply 
loved.

Bobbie also remained active in many civic and professional organizations 
throughout her career. Bobbie retired from the Texas Health Department and 
returned to Longview in 1985

In addition to her love for Texas history and folklore, she was passionate about 
her pets and any stray animal that wandered into her path. But the trait that 
most closely described Bobbie was her love of friends and family. Throughout her 
life and travels, Bobbie collected friends and treasured them more than gold. She 
leaves behind a large cast of special friends from all across the country.

Bobbie was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Mary Rasberry; and brother, 
Wilbert "Lee" Pursley and wife, Naoma.

Bobbie is survived by sisters, Marie Wheeley of Longview, and Norma Puckett and 
husband, W.C. of Conroe; numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews; 
and former spouse, J.C. Childers.

Memorial donations in memory of Bobbie may be made to the Humane Society of 
Northeast Texas, 303 Enterprise St., Longview, TX 75604.

Visitation will be at 6 p.m. this evening, October 5, 2007, at Welch Funeral Home.

An online registry may be signed at www.news-journal.com, by clicking on the 
obituaries link.

Published in the Longview News-Journal on 10/5/2007.

----------------

Pursley, Frances Roberta "Bobbie"   	

Services for Frances Roberta "Bobbie" Pursley will be at 10 a.m. today, October 6, 
2007, at Welch Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow in Lakeview Cemetery. Ms. 
Pursley died October 3, 2007, at a local care facility.

Born April 1, 1925, in Duncan, Okla., she was a nurse and retired from Texas Health 
Department. Survivors include her sisters, Marie Wheeley and Norma Puckett.

An online registry may be signed at www.news-journal.com, by clicking on the 
obituaries link.

Published in the Longview News-Journal on 10/6/2007.