William Harold Gurley

William Harold Gurley Obituary William ("Bill") Harold Gurley, long-time St. Louis resident, died on Father's Day, June 16, 2024, at the age of 85. Passing into the next life on Father's Day was apropos for our father, as perhaps there was no better day for our father to depart this Earth, than on a day where children of all ages celebrate and honor their fathers. He is survived by a large and loving family, including his three children, Kathryn Gurley Nall (husband, Scott), Melanie Gurley Keeney (husband, Tim), and Melissa Gurley Bancks (husband, Eric), all who reside in St. Louis; his six grandchildren: Rebecca Nall (husband, Brandon), Courtney Nall, Ryan Keeney, Andrew Keeney, Mitchell Bancks, and Annalise Bancks; and numerous beloved nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his beloved wife (Judy Gail Carter Gurley), parents (Coleman Harold Gurley and Virginia Louise Sanger), and brother (Robert Coleman Gurley) and sister-in-law (Kathryn Gurley). Bill was born in Springfield, Missouri on April 29, 1939. He was raised primarily in Springfield, and earned a Bachelors degree in Business from Drury College. He obtained an MBA from the University of Arkansas, which is where he met his dear wife of almost 60 years. Bill worked for Monsanto during his early career before he transitioned to Calgon Vestal Corporation, a subsidiary of Merck, where he spent the majority of his career and ultimately served as Director of Sales and Marketing. After he retired from Calgon, Bill succeeded his father, as President of a family-owned commercial real estate company, Rebcol Corporation where he served until his retirement. Bill was very active in the community. He founded the St. Louis Chapter of the Prostate Cancer Support Group, and he led meetings for many years. He also served on the Board of Directors for the Wellness Community. Bill had an extraordinary love of life. He felt a strong desire to help others, including family, friends, and even strangers in need. He established a scholarship and endowment for the University of Missouri St. Louis, in honor of our mother, who taught there for many years. Bill was a devoted Christian and a very active member of Second Baptist Church, where he led adult Bible study for over 40 years and served as President of the Congregation. He also was a long-time member of the choir, and his gorgeous voice provided joy to many! Bill met his beautiful wife, Judy Gail Carter, in graduate school, and after a whirlwind romance, Bill and Judy were married on December 23, 1962. She passed away in December 2022, just 2 weeks shy of their 60 th wedding anniversary. Bill and Judy shared a love of adventure, and they traveled the world, including Greece, Egypt, Turkey, Israel, Jordan, Canada, Portugal, Spain, and many other countries in Europe. Bill was a Renaissance man, who was a life-long learner and loved philosophy, religion, science, art, and literature. Bill and Judy bought a second home in Lake City, Colorado, where they have shared their love of the mountains and nature with their children and grandchildren, who were their greatest joy. Dubbed 'Poppop' and 'Nanny' by their grandchildren, our parents attended countless swim meets, soccer and volleyball games, and school events. They took such great pride in each and every one of his grandchildren and their accomplishments. To understand Bill's strength of character, you need only look to how he faced adversity. In the words of Bill's daughter, Melissa Gurley Bancks: Mr. Gurley, as the staff at Parc Provence lovingly called him, woke up each day and exclaimed with gusto, "What a beautiful day!" It did not matter if it were cloudy, rainy, or even if he could not see outside our father's vivid love of life and reverence for living carried him through each day of each stage of his life. Whether he was sipping on a cup of coffee early in the morning in Lake City, watching the sun wake Red Top Mountain while Mom slept nearby, whether he was standing on the front porch of the Ozark cabin with Papa, watching the mist slide off the water and the boats go by, whether he was in his prime or in decline, Dad saw, felt, and shared the true beauty of life. The hospice nurse who met Dad in his final days said, "What a jubilant spirit! He clearly shares that with everyone, and lifts them up." Countless staff members came by to pay their respects to the great Bill Gurley in his final hours. He wanted to help others with every cell of his being, and he did, by modeling the way to love and the way to live. What a noble, vibrant soul Dad had, to be able to lift all of us up even as his body gave way. He fought to stay with his beloved Gurley Girls on this earth after Mom passed, always the father, the protector, the bearer of such generous love. Now it's his turn to live in that beauty that he saw and celebrated every day. That is perhaps his most profound legacy his gift to us. How blessed we were to have such a dad. Safe passage for my sweet, charming, funny father. We will miss your whistling, your voice, your twinkle in the eye, your mischievous spirit and jokes, your kindness, your generosity, your love of music, your curiosity, your extraordinary transformative love for each of us. Bill, Dad, Poppop, Mr. Gurley- He will be dearly missed by all who knew him, and the world is a better place because of him. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Second Baptist Church in Bill's name. Celebration of Life Service for Bill Gurley will be held at Second Baptist Church, 9030 Clayton Road, St. Louis, MO 63117, on June 22, 2024 at 11:30 A.M. Arrangements by Bopp Chapel.

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William Harold Gurley

April 29, 1939 - June 16, 2024