Francis Catherine Fursman, 91, formerly of Colony and more recently of Fort Scott, passed away Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017, at the Franklin House Assisted Living in Fort Scott. She was born Dec. 26, 1925, in Bronson, the daughter of John Fletcher Harris and Maude Geyer Harris. She grew up on the family farm west of Bronson and graduated from the Moran High School with the Class of 1943. She married her high school sweetheart, Bob Fursman, on April 11, 1945, in Fort Scott. Prior to her marriage, Francis taught at two rural grade schools. The Fursmans owned and operated Fursman Ranch & Elevator near Welda for many years. They made their home on the ranch as well as in Garnett. They later remodeled the Lone Elm Grade School into their home and lived there for several years prior to moving to Colony in 1986. While living in Colony, Francis worked for a time at the Senior Citizens Center where she helped organize congregate meals. She also enjoyed drinking coffee with her friends at the Colony Café. She had been an active member of TOPS and enjoyed walking for her health. She also enjoyed sewing, playing cards and spending quality time with her family and friends. She had a simple faith and so believed that Heaven was real. She was a devoted wife, mom and grandma who will be dearly missed by her two daughters and her grandchildren.
Survivors include her two daughters, Sheila Blubaugh and husband Dave, Fort Scott, and Sharon Madison and husband Don, Wichita; five grandchildren, Joan Kramer and husband Tim, Tom Madison and wife Kitty and Karen Traynor and husband Kip, all of Wichita, Brad Blubaugh and wife, Bethany, Fort Scott, and Amanda Smilie and husband Ethan, Chanute; and 15 great-grandchildren, Ashley Kramer, Catherine, Sam and Elizabeth Madison, Robert, Rowan, Rachel and Rafe Traynor, Max, Grant and Reed Blubaugh and Helena, Ben, Cecilia and Gerard Smilie. Her husband, Bob, preceded her in death on Aug. 15, 2014. She also was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Elizabeth Townsley, and a brother, John Harris.
Lloyd Houk will conduct funeral services at 11 a.m Friday at the Cheney Witt Chapel. A graveside service will be at 2:30 p.m. Friday at the Colony City Cemetery in Colony. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor’s choice and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guest book at cheneywitt.com.
