Emma Basic, 70, formerly of Manning, died Tuesday, December 30, 2014, at the St. Luke’s Home, Dickinson. Emma’s funeral service will be at 12 p.m., Friday, January 2, 2015 at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson, with Chaplain Harold Sundgren officiating. Interment will follow at the Manning Community Cemetery, Manning. Visitation will be on Friday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., at Ladbury Funeral Service.
Emma Ellis was born June 1, 1944 in Holyoke, Colo., the daughter of Lester John and Mae (Ayers) Ellis. She attended the first eight grades in Colorado, and grades nine through twelve in Georgia.
Emma was united in marriage to Glenn Pursley in August 3, 1961, and to this union three children were born Carolyn “Candy”, James “Scooter”, and Terry.
Emma married James A. Basic on February 8, 1992 at Conner, Mont. They lived in Manning until 2000, when they moved to Anchorage, Alaska. They returned to Manning and later moved to Bismarck in 2010, and eventually to Dickinson in August of 2014.
Emma worked at various jobs throughout her life, such as, postal service, abstract office, court house, bar and grocery store, and title company. She was a member of the NRA, Mason’s, and AARP. She enjoyed sewing, cleaning and cooking for Jim, collecting figurines, working in the garden and flowers, raising chickens, ducks and turkeys.
Emma is survived by her husband, James; three children, Candy (Tom) Swisher, Mesa, Ariz., Scooter (Robin) Pursley, Bismarck, and Terry (Darci) Pursley, Stewartville, Minn.; her grandchildren and great-grandchildren; brother, Albert Ellis, Wishek; a niece and nephew; and special friends, Dean, Carleen and Derrek Dvorak, Manning. She was preceded in death by her parents; and sister, Judy.
