Zelda Purser Obituary

Graveside service for Zelda Darlene Purser, 88, of Baytown will be held at 1:00pm on Monday, October 27, 2025 at Eden Cemetery in Douglass, Texas. Visitation will be held prior to the graveside from 10:00am until 12:00pm at Laird Funeral Home. The service will be officiated by Bro. Joseph Ballard, Bro. James Langston and Bro. Joseph Vantrease.
Mrs. Purser passed away on Tuesday, October 21, 2025 in Baytown, Texas. She was born on September 23, 1937 in Brownfield, Texas.
Zelda was a true matriarch and constant source of love, advice, laughter and faith for her children and grandchildren and supported her family in every aspect of life. She spent her early adult years raising her son and daughters and instilling the great values she portrayed. She was married to the love of her life, Claude Purser, for over 46 years, until his passing in 2002. Zelda enjoyed quilting, oil painting, crafting as well as playing checkers and dominoes. Zelda also loved her bible study and church friends, joyriding in the side-by-side or eating her much loved pineapple and Canadian bacon pizza. Her love of food also included Mexican food, Blue Bell ice cream and her favorite candies (chick-o-sticks and M & M's).
Her life, although sometimes a struggle due to her physical condition, was always filled with joy and laughter. On days when she was hard to understand, she ingenuously would play charades until you figured it out. She never let anything get her down and her constant smile proved it. She adored people and strived to be loved by all, just as she loved everyone.
Zelda could also be described as a spitfire and was spicy in her own way. She loved nothing more than to play jokes on those around her and never missed the opportunity to bring joy to the lives of everyone she met. She never met a stranger and stopping to have conversations with everybody she came across made her a star among many. Most folks never knew what her next step would be but she always did what she wanted. If she was tired, she would get up to go to the bathroom and simply go to bed without warning. That was her, unapologetically. Her last years were filled with delight from the travels with her daughters. She was the strongest woman they knew and wanted nothing short of perfect adventures for their precious mama. Zelda's love of travel carried them many miles to destinations that were filled with wonderful memories.
As we say goodbye to Zelda, let's remember her zest for life, her endless love for her family and her ability to always find the bright side of any situation. May she rest in peace, surrounded by an endless supply of Chick-O-Sticks and Blue Bell ice cream!
Zelda is survived by her daughters, Darlene Trail and Velda McGuffin; son, Lawrence Purser & wife Judy; grandchildren, Johnny Woodard & wife Amanda Jo, Tim McGuffin II & wife, Daralyn, Dwayne Purser & wife Laura, Katie Jones & husband Christopher, Michael Purser & wife Debbie and Leona Melder & husband William; 15 great grandchildren; 2 great-great grandchildren and a host of other well-loved family members.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Oscar and Dorothy Hare Blackwell; beloved husband, Claude Lee Purser and sons-in-law, Tim McGuffin and James Trail.
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