Roy C Pursche

Roy Carl Pursche was born in Inglewood, California on March 29, 1925, the son of Carl Pursche and Thora Smith who were also both born in Inglewood, making Roy a 2nd generation Southern California native. He grew up on the family farm in Gardena. He played high school sports including baseball and track; he was a varsity letterman in both. As a teen, one of his dreams was being in aviation. After graduating from Gardena High in 1943, he joined the US Army Air Corps during WWII. Typically, it would require minimum of two years of college to join the Army Air Corps Aviation program. However, there was a newspaper ad stating that anyone with a high school diploma could take an exam and qualify for cadet training. Roy was one of the six, out of three hundred exam applicants, who passed, and he was accepted at only 17 years of age to the Aviation Cadet Program. On August 15, 1943, Roy reported for active duty/basic training in Miami, Florida.
Beginning in November of 1943, Roy attended Michigan State US Army Air Corps Officer Academic Training School where he studied for eighteen months and finished at the top of his class. After completing his academic work, Roy began pre-flight training near San Antonio, Texas to become a pilot. After arriving at the base in Brady, Texas, Roy focused his eyes on a fleet of new Stearman Biplanes, never yet flown by a cadet. After completing two thirds of his training, he successfully passed his acrobatics training necessary to become a fighter pilot, but the War in Europe ended prior to him completing his training and he never saw combat duty. On May 22, 1945, he received his wings and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps. He was placed into the AT-6 program and later became an instructor who retrained returning World War II European Theatre fighter pilots. These pilots had seen heavy fighting across Europe for almost six years and required flight training to fly the newer planes. In 1948, Roy transferred into United States Air Force Active Reserves in Long Beach, California, serving with the 452nd Bomb Wing Tactical Squadron. He flew many planes and helicopters including the P-51 Mustang, F80, B26, and C48. Roy retired from the USAF Reserves in 1973 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Roy married Juandell Muncy in February 1960. Roy and Juandell had three children Ann, Jimmy, and Susie whom he identified as his proudest accomplishments. Juandell passed away in 1988 and Roy was also pre-deceased by his younger siblings, Marie Schenfisch and Doris Rath.
Roy was the sole proprietor of Pursche Ranch since 1946. He farmed in southern California for over 75 years, farming over 2000 acres at the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station the past 30 years with crops of lima beans, barley, and garbanzo beans. During his career in farming, he became one of the world’s largest lima bean growers. In 1948, he joined the LA County Farm Bureau and served on the board of Directors for over 60 years. In 2000, he joined Orange County Farm Bureau and served on their board. He also served on the California State Bean Advisory Board since 1980 until his retirement in 2022. He was on the Board of Directors for the California Bean Growers Association and the Orange County Board of Bean Growers.
In 1948 he started Pursche Ranch Equipment Rentals, and as a heavy equipment operator, he excavated most of the freeways in Southern California. He was responsible for excavating the steep inclines of the 405 freeway near Mulholland Drive in the early 70’s.
As a hobby, Roy loved to grow flowers, fruits and vegetables for his friends and family including roses, asparagus, strawberries, sweet corn, squash and avocados. He grew cherries, pears and apples at his orchard in Oak Grove, California. He loved growing exotic fruits native to all over the world.
A long-time member of Torrance First Baptist Church, Roy was an active in Men’s Fellowship and in serving on the Administrative Operations (Facilities) Committee. He was a head usher and President of his Adult Sunday School Class.
Roy also enjoyed many years at Lake Arrowhead with his family and friends waterskiing; he mastered a standing dock start that most could not do. He also taught many people how to waterski. He loved to travel with his wife Sara, visiting 22 countries with her.
He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Sara Pursche. Roy lived in Redondo Beach at the Kensington until his death August 4, 2024. Roy is survived by his three children Ann, Jimmy (Shana) and Sue (Dan), plus his two grandchildren, Alina and Brady Pursche. He is also survived by his stepson Bruce (Deb) Angel, and by his two step-granddaughters Sara (Evan) and Elyse (Paul). He is also survived by his nephews, Vernon and Brent Schenfisch of Gardena, California.
Graveside Military Burial Service for Roy Pursche will be held at 2PM on September 7, 2024, at Green Hills Memorial Park, 27501 S Western Avenue, Rancho Palos Verdes, California. It is followed by a Memorial Service held at 4PM Torrance First Baptist Church, 2118 West Carson Street, Torrance, California.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in honor of him to Torrance First Baptist Church or to Hillsdale College.