Individual Details

Death

FURR, MR. GERALD, age 79, of Rhea's Mill, Texas passed away January 24, 2004. He was born September 3, 1924, in Rheas Mill, Texas to Jessie (Robinson) and Clarence L. Furr. On December 15, 1946, he married Patsy "Pat" Gilliland in Dallas, Texas. Mr. Furr served in the Merchant Marines and was a veteran of World War II. He was a life time farmer and a member of the Rhea's Mill Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife, of 57 years, Pat Furr; his children and their spouses, Brenda and Glenn Gaustad of Dallas, Sharon and Truett Camp of El Dorado, Arkansas, Paul and Jana Furr of Rhea's Mill; grandchildren and spouses, Angela and Dave Chisholm, Jeremy Johnson, Matt and Trish Furr, Greg Gaustad, Heather and Robert Brown, and Erin Camp; brothers, Jack Furr and wife, June and Dale Furr and wife, Jan; sister, Carolyn Shaw and husband, Butch; sisters-in-law, Lynn Furr and Sarah Gilliland. His parents, Jessie and C. L. Furr; and brother, Ralph Furr preceded him in death. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 27, 2004, at Rhea's Mill Baptist Church with Rev. Travis Maxwell officiating. Interment will follow at Cottage Hill Cemetery in Celina. The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 p.m., Monday at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Rhea's Mill Baptist Church Mission Fund. Turrentine Jackson Morrow Ridgeview Memorial Park Exit 38 N Central Expwy (972) 542-2601 turrentinejacksonmorrow.com
Published in the Dallas Morning News on 1/26/2004.

Gerald Furr: Curator of Collin's farm past
09:01 PM CST on Tuesday, January 27, 2004
By CHRISTY A. ROBINSON / The Dallas Morning News
Gerald Furr, a longtime farmer and avid champion of Collin County's agricultural history, died Saturday at a Gunner rest home. He was 79. The health of the Rhea's Mill native declined after he suffered a stroke more than two years ago. Burial was Tuesday in Cottage Hill Cemetery in Celina. Family friend Jim Jake Templin of Anna said farming, family and faith were the terms in which Mr. Furr was remembered. "He was the epitome of a Christian gentleman," Mr. Templin said. "His was a very mature and real faith." A fellow merchant mariner from Mr. Furr's World War II days told Mr. Templin that Mr. Furr would stay behind during liberty calls at port and read his Bible, while the other sailors left to participate in less religious activities. "He was no dour Christian by any stretch," Mr. Templin said. "I don't know that our country can produce men like that anymore." Mr. Furr was born on Sept. 3, 1924, in Rhea's Mill, a tiny community just north of U.S. Highway 380 between Prosper and McKinney. He bought and farmed his first piece of land when he was 17 years old, Mr. Templin said. In 1969, Mr. Furr noticed county land slowly being covered by corporate development and housing growth. In response, he helped found the Collin County Farm Museum in McKinney, where collections of tractors, horse-drawn hay rakes and other antique equipment were displayed. The Farm Museum had housed Mr. Furr's collection of local farming equipment and implements. He later withdrew some of the pieces and, in 2002, health problems prompted him to auction off the collection. Hundreds of people attended the auction. Mr. Furr married Pasty Gilliland in 1946 in Dallas, after he returned from the war. He served on the Collin County Youth Park executive board, the Tax Appraisal board, the Collin County Farm Bureau and the Joe Atkinson Music Evangelism board. He was a deacon for more than 40 years at Rhea's Mill Baptist Church. In addition to his wife, Mr. Furr is survived by a son, Paul Furr of Rhea's Mill; daughters Brenda Gaustad of Dallas and Sharon Camp of El Dorado, Ark.; brothers Jack Furr and Dale Furr; a sister, Carolyn Shaw; and six grandchildren. Memorials can be made to the Rhea's Mill Baptist Church mission fund, 5733 N. Custer Road, McKinney, Texas 75071.