James Parley Laws, one of Blanding’s beloved citizens for many years, passed away on Saturday, October 11th* at his home. He had been in poor health for many years but gallantly kept at his job right up till the last. Many days he went to work when he could scarcely get out of bed, but he always gave the job at hand his best.
He was born in Blanding on August 30, 1915 to Julian Asa and Lucy Johnson Laws, and was the fourth in a family of seven children. He had two brothers and a sister who were older, and two brothers and a sister younger.
While they were growing up they lived at Carlysle Ranch just out of Monticello. During their early school days they parents drove their children to Tarb, a small town, in a buggy pulled by horses in order that they could attend school. Later, their children attended school in Monticello and in Blanding.
As Parley grew up, he worked at any kind of job he could find to earn a living, including sheep herding, ranching and farming. When he was in the 10th grade in school he left to work for the Adams brothers to help them with their ranch and stock.
At 25 years of age he met and married Mariam Black on November 25, 1940 and one daughter, Shirley, and two sons, James A. and Francis C., were born to them. During this time Parley worked for Leon Adams, for the uranium mill in Monticello, the Blanding mines company and the Independent Lumber Company. In 1959 he went to work for the San Juan County Road Department as heavy equipment operator, and was still employed here at the time of this passing.
Parley enjoyed the out-of-doors and loved nature. He also loved to work with his small herd of cattle and always had a fine horse which he loved to ride. He was a kind and loving husband and father and took delight in entertaining his grandchildren and liked to have them around him.
His niece, Norma Laws, made a tribute to him from a small, weatherbeaten stump of a tree which included a miniature horse, a bull, several wild animals and a pair of skunks. He adored the simple things of live and was modest and unassuming.
He is survived by his wife, Mariam, his son James of Moab, his son Francis of Blanding, and daughter Shirley Trent of Lakewood, California; 12 grandchildren, one brother, Wayne Laws of Price, and one sister, Fern Palmer of Blanding.
*1975.
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