Gursie Mae Duffey Gilmore was born on June 8, 1919 in Leesburg, Texas to Ed Duffey and Nancy Wade Duffey. She was the fourth child born out of eight siblings. She joined church at an early age.

She met and married the late Harlon Gilmore, Jr. in the early forties. From this union came three children, all daughters…Jewell Gilmore Hall, Fayrine Gilmore Brown and Mable Gilmore Lowery. She was a devoted wife and mother.

She joined Mount Zion First Missionary Baptist Church fifty-two years ago. She worked with the Mission, ushered on the Usher Board and attended Sunday School and Church Service every Sunday until her health started to decline. She was a devoted church member and Christian.

After years of service, she eventually became the oldest member in the church and the members honored her with the title “Church Mother” and she became the mother of the church. She lived to be 103 years old.

Mother Gursie Gilmore departed this life on June 18, 2022. She was preceded in death by her two beautiful daughters, Jewel Gilmore Hall and Fayrine Gilmore Brown; loving mother, Nancy Wade Duffey; loving father, Ed Duffey; four brothers, Ivey Duffey, Rollie Duffey, Clyde Duffey and Daniel Duffey; and three sisters, Fayrine Duffey Wright, Algie Duffey Birdine and Jessie Mae Duffey Wells.

She leaves behind to cherish her memory, her daughter, Mable Gilmore Lowery (Texarkana, TX); one granddaughter, Porsha Janay Lowery (Texarkana, TX); six grandsons, Gerald H. Lowery II (Texarkana, TX), William (Trina) Hall III, Harlon Hall, Damon Hall and Marcus Hall (all of Dallas, TX) and Harlon James (Rena) Brown (Charleston, SC); two great-granddaughters, Brianna Jabari Hall (Texarkana, TX) and Taylor Brown (Charleston, SC); three great-grandsons, Malachi Malique Lowery (Texarkana, TX), William Hall IV (Dallas, TX) and Raylon Brown (Charleston, SC); and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

We, the family, will truly miss her.