Mary "Ann" Pursley was called home to the Lord on Sunday, December 31, 2023. She was the first born to Howard and Mary “Slim” Pfrimmer in Ennis, Montana, on February 2, 1938. While growing up in Big Sandy, Montana, she met Clarence “Allan” Pursley. They began casually dating while Ann was in high school and they continued to correspond throughout his time in the military. Upon Allan’s return from the service they became engaged. On May 16, 1956 Ann and Allan wed and started their family one year later. They had three children: Geri, Wayne and Norma.
Ann worked in Great Falls, Montana, retail businesses for years, making numerous friends that she cherished for years. When she would see “her customers” outside of work she’d come home and tell her family that she had seen the person and more often than not they did not know who she was talking about. When asked who the person was, her common response would be, “You know them, they came into Bob’s Thriftway, Noble’s Grocery Store or Western Village,” and of course for the most part they were still unknown to the family.
In 1990 she joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association as a timer. Throughout her tenure, Ann worked many rodeos, including the Snake River Stampede in Nampa, Idaho, as well as the Montana Pro Rodeo Finals in Great Falls. While she loved timing events, Ann also had a passion for running the Cash Calendar program for the PRCA Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit, where she would enlist the help of cowboys, cowgirls, friends and family selling as many as possible.
Ann shared various honors with her husband, Allan. They were inducted into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2018, honored by the Northern Rodeo Association in the 1990s and the Montana Pro Rodeo Wall of Fame in the early 2000s.
She is survived by her daughters, Geri Pursley and Norma (Marty) Graham; grandchildren, Willow (John) Rossmiller, Colette (Joe) Zielinski, Mahria Graham, and Travis Graham; great-grandchildren, Caleb Rossmiller, Andrew Rossmiller, Ruth Rossmiller, and Colten Graham-Sinclair; step-mother, Veva Pfrimmer; siblings, Lou O’Connor, Dolly (George) Annis, Chuck (Wanda) Pfrimmer, Melanie Davis, Noel (Tom) Gorton, Brent (Debbie) Pfrimmer, Julie (Todo) Pearson, Jonna (Mike) Wallis, Billie (Dave) Billheimer, Robert (Debi) Pfrimmer, Nona (Rolly) Johnson, and Nina Bennett; sister-in-law, Dolly Pursley; brother-in-law, Benny Peoples; and aunt, Donna Shovlin, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends that were family.
To read the complete obituary and share condolences, click here to visit the Schnider Funeral Home website.
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