• Who was William F. Gurrie?

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    In 1934 during the depths of the Great Depression, William F. Gurrie & Co., Ltd., was founded by its namesake. At the time, many area schools were having difficulty paying their teachers and were forced to pay them in scrip: a type of negotiable IOU that some businesses would take in place of cash. Through his contacts at Chicago bond houses, William F. Gurrie was able to assist area districts in issuing bonds which allowed them pay their teachers in cash. This strengthened his relationships in LaGrange and surrounding areas: the firm's core client base.

    William F. Gurrie became the auditor and financial advisor for the school districts he helped during the Depression as well as for surrounding villages, park districts, and libraries. A valued contributor to the community, Mr. Gurrie helped found the Pleasantdale Park District and, because of his years of serving schools in the area, when the Lyons Township School Treasurer position was vacated, he was asked to take it.

    While Mr. Gurrie served as Township School Treasurer, his eldest son Frank ran the CPA firm. Upon William's death, Frank became the Township School Treasurer and Larry Gurrie, Frank's younger brother, took over the firm. To honor William F. Gurrie and his years of service to schools in the area, LaGrange School District 105 named its Junior High "William F. Gurrie Middle School."