Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Ida Purtle

Mrs. Ida McCollum Purtle, born May 21, 1915, in southern Columbia County, died on Saturday, September 3, 2005.

Married to Sid Purtle on June 20, 1938, in Oklahoma City, Okla., she was widowed in 1955.

A 1934 graduate of Stephen F. Austin High School in Bryan, Texas, she earned a B.S. degree in Home Economics from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater in 1938 and received a Masters of Science degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 1961. She was a five time recipient of National Science Foundation grants and continued her studies throughout her teaching career. She taught home economics for four years in Kiowa, Okla., and two years in Okolona. After an eight year hiatus as a mother and homemaker, she returned to teaching as a chemistry and biology teacher at Prescott High School. During her teaching career she received numerous awards including the National Association of Biology Teachers Certificate of Honor as Outstanding Secondary Educators of America in 1973, and received the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce Teacher Award in 1977.

After her retirement in 1977 she pursued her quilting hobby, making 41 quilts, 24 quilted wall hangings, and nine specialty quilted items. in 1993 Mrs. Purtle was one of 19 traditional quilters selected from Southwest Arkansas to be featured in a special exhibition at the Regional Arts Center in Texarkana.

In addition, she contributed a quilt block to the ACLU Peace Quilt that was presented to the Soviet Embassy in Washington, D.C., and later delivered to the people of Lithuania. Another of her squares is part of The Long Gray Line, a quilt on permanent display at the United States Military Academy in honor of its Bicentennial Celebration. In January of 2002 she was nominated for consideration to receive the Arkansas Living Treasure Award for her creation of a traditional craft.

During her life she was active in the First Baptist Church of Prescott, Golden Links, DAR, Delta Kappa Gamma, and the Hope Quilters Guild. She also enjoyed reading and genealogy.

She is survived by two sons, David S. Purtle and wife, Judy of Braselton, Ga., and Charles E. Purtle and wife Jane of Prescott; one daughter, Sara Purtle Bergstresser of Alpha, New Jersey; eight grandchildren, Brian Purtle and wife Ryna of Rogers, Jim Purtle and wife Michelle of Pearland, Texas, Brad Purtle and wife Stephanie of DeSoto, Texas, Beth Purtle Morris and husband Zane of Euless, Texas, Kendig Bergstresser of Germantown, Md., CPT Sid Purtle Bergstresser of Fort Humphry, Korea, Charles Bergstresser and wife Amanda of DeRidder, La., and Jennie Bergstresser of Gaithersbur, Md.; four great-grandchildren, Logan and Raigan Purtle of Rogers, Zoey Bergstresser of DeRidder, and Jack Purtle of DeSoto; one step-grandson, Michael Potter of Rogers; and two step-great-grandsons, Bobby Potter of Russellville and Tyler Potter of Rogers.

Four brothers preceded her in death, Carl, Elisha, John, and Charlie McCollum and three sisters, Izora Wilson, her twin, Mattie Faye Larsen and Vera Chishoim.

Surviving siblings include, Jennie Beecham of Oklahoma City, Joe McCollum of Twin Falls, Idaho, and Ben McCollum of Ketchum, Idaho.

Funeral services were at 10 a.m. Tuesday, September 6, 2005, at Brazzel/Cornish Funeral Home Chapel of Prescott, with Rev. Milton Cowling officiating and Charles Purtle giving the eulogy. Interment followed at DeAnn Cemetery in Prescott.

Family received friends Monday, September 5, 2005, from 6-8 p.m. at Brazzel/Cornish Funeral Home of Prescott. Memorials may be made to Southern Arkansas University for the Sid and Ida Purtle Scholarship fund, Development Office, 100 East University, Magnolia, Ark. 71753-5000 or First Baptist Church, 201 East Main Street, Prescott, Ark. 71857. Arrangements by Brazzel/Cornish Funeral Home of Prescott.

Pallbearers were grandsons and great-grandson, Charlie Bergstresser, Zane Morris, Michael Potter, Brad Purtle, Brian Purtle, Jim Purtle, and Logan Purtle.