The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-05-17
PASSING OF FRANK +. LIcHTLEY

Gunnison Empire.
The sudden death of Frank E.
Lightley last Saturday morning was
grievous shock to the community Of
Gunnison, where he had made his
home for forty-two years.
Mr.. and Mrs Lightley had returned
but two days previously from Cali
fornia where they had spent the win
ter, and had not yet received the
greetings of nearly all their host of
friends when the summons came to
Frank to go out across the great di-
vide from which there is no return
ing.
In the Community Church Tues
day afternoon vast throng gathered
to pay their last tribute of friend
ship to Frank whom they had known
so long, whose life among them had
been an open book with clean pages.
Silently eloquent of the esteem in
which he was held were the innumer-
able floral offerings massed and banked
about the handsome casket which
contained the remains.
DR.. Geo. Nuckolls, of Denver, had
been summoned to deliver the fune-
raj address of his friend, and did so
with his usual wealth of sympathy
and consolation. Appropriate to the
occasion were the selections mo
Longer Lonely" at is well with my
Soul' and "He Leadeth Me-" rendered
by quartette composed of Mrs. B.
H. Jorgensen, Miss Ethel Partner,
and Messrs. Fogg ard Lawrence, ac-
companied by Mrs. Willet Estes at
the organ.
Interment was in the Masons' and
Odd Fellows cemetery.
Frank E. Lightley was born June
7th, 1857, at Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.
At the age of four he removed to
Eustin, Minnesota, with his parents,
and 1881 found him in Gunnison, one
of the sturdy pioneers of this place.
Born and raised farmer, natur-
ally Frank turned to ranching and
stockraising in Gunnison county, and
the thoroughness with which he con-
Quoted that business was no doubt
inherent from his English farmer an
cestry. He acquired splendid prop
erty in the Ohio Creek valley, nine
miles from Gunnison. July 20, 1890,
he married Miss Maggie Lehman, who
during the remainder. of his life was
true companion and helpmeet to
him. Their ranch home was one of
the bright spots of the rural commu-
nifty, and the ranch itself model.
Frank was favorite with the cat
tlemen with whom he was associated
and all who knew him. He prospered
financially and in 1918 sold his ranch
and cattle and removed to town.
Mr.. and Mrs. Lightley were de-
voted to each other, spending most
of the time in the summer in the
great outdoors of this vicinity, and
as winter approached motoring to
lower and warmer climate. Cali
fornia was their favorite winter home
but spring always found them return
ing to Gunnison.
Three children were born to Mr.
and Mrs. Lightley, Charley, Chester
and Pearl, but Charley alone grew
to manhood's estate. He married
Miss Hilda Schnell and they live on
their ranch in the Ohio Creek valley
The Empire editor enjoyed an ac-
quaintance with Frank Lightley for
the past thirty years and can say
that to meet him was privilege
To know him was an inspiration. 1t
should be some consolation to the
bereaved wife and son to know that
the husband and father so suddenly
taken enjoyed and deserved the u,,i-
versal respect of the people of the
entire community. The Empire in
unison with all your acquaintance
extends sympathy and condolences to
you in your distressing loss.