M.A. Lea Sr., 74, Pioneer West Texan, Passed Away Friday Afternoon, June 19
Writing finish to a long and useful life, death came with little warning at 5:39 p.m. Friday, June 19, 1942 to M. A. Lea Sr., retired businessman, farmer and city resident 19 years. Mr. Lea had spent the afternoon in a social gathering with friends at the Spur Hotel.A native Texan, Murray A. Lea, son of Captain J. Horace Lea, a Civil War Veteran and Molly Connor Lea, was born October 17, 1868 at Sherman, Texas. With his parents he moved in 1892 to a ranch fifteen miles southeast of Archer City and the following year he married Ida Potts, on September 23, 1894 at Pottsville and immediately took his bride to the Archer County ranch where they established their first home, building a new residence near the paternal homestead. It was in this home that their six children were born, three of whom preceded their father in death.
Mr. Lea was converted in 1896 and for seven years affiliated with the Presbyterian Church membership, later joining the Methodist Church with Mrs. Lea and also was a Royal Arch Mason.
In 1903 Mr. Lea moved with his family to Archer City and purchased a drug business which he operated only two years then moved to Antelope in Jack County where he brought a general mercantile store and after four years residence in Antelope he returned to Archer City and repurchased the drug store. In 1910 he bought an interest in a general mercantile store at that place and of which he eventually absorbed the entire interests.
In 1920 Mr. Lea sold his general store to enter a partnership in a Ford Motor Agency with his son Robert Lea and three years later the Leas disposed of the Ford Agency and purchased the interest of W.A. Grogan in the Spur Light and Power Plant owned and operated by W.A. Grogan and Ray Stovall. They came to Spur June 23, 1923. Four years later the Spur Light and Power Plant was sold to West Texas Utilities Co. and Mr. Lea retired from active business other than superintending small scale farming operations.
Masonic Funeral services were held at 4:00 p.m. Sunday, June 21st at the Spur Methodist Church, conducted by Rev. H. L. Thurston, pastor, and Rev. J. E. Harrell, of Hamlin an a former pastor of Spur.
Honorary pall bearers were: W. F. Cathey, Jim Albin, Bill Hyatt, W. S. Leach, E. L. McAlpine, W. W. Garner, R. L. Collier, Jack Godfrey, W. A. Johnson, L. E. Bass, Robert Thannish, E. L. Smith, J. R. Laine.
Active pall bearers wee: Roy Stovall, Cal Martin, C. V.Allen, W. R. Lewis, J. C. Payne and John King.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Ida Potts Lea; one daughter, Birdie Ellis, Sherman; two sons, Robert E. Lea and wife, Alice, Odessa; Murray A. Lea, Jr. and wife, Pearl and grandson, Kenneth Dale Lea, of Spur; grandson Robert E. Lea, Jr. of Stamford; granddaughter, Katherine Grand and her husband Billy Grant, a great grandson, Bobby Dale Grant, of Dallas; all present for the last rites. One brother, John S. K. Lea, Ravenna, not able to be present.
Other relatives and out-of-town friends here to attend the funeral were Tonnie Lea Mr. And Mrs. Leonard Hunt, Mr. And Mrs. Worth Lea, Brownwood; Mrs. Joe Gruever, Mr. And Mrs. Lawrence Gruever and Mrs. Mary Reed, of Gruever, Texas; Tom Bell, Vernon; Mrs. J. W. Webb, Dimmitt; Mr. And Mrs. Ed Hart, Plainview; Mrs. Leola Pots, Portales, NM; Mrs. H. C. Potts, Pottsville; and Mrs.Jessie Montgomery, Archer City, sisters of Mrs. Lea; Mr. And Mrs. C. F. Norris, Kermit, Texas; Jim Best, Dee Davis, Floyd Amburgey and Dave Harmon, Odessa; Joe Hinson, Fort Stockton; Mrs. Joe Bex, Mr. And Mrs. Leslie Lewis, of Abilene; and Lelus Hutto, De Queen, Ark.
©The Texas Spur, June 25, 1942
from the records of Lillian Grace Nay
© Dickens County Historical Commission 1997-2022
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