Evelyn Irene Purcell

Evelyn Irene Purcell was born March 3, 1930 in Tarkio, Missouri, the daughter of Howard and Jessie Frances (Campbell) Reeves. She lived in Ottawa since the late 1940's, moving in 1971 to Topeka, where she made her home, until her death, Thursday, May 4, 2006 at the age of seventy-six years. Evelyn attended Baldwin City High School with the class of 1948. She graduated from Neosho County Community College in Chanute with an LPN Degree. Evelyn was a nurses aid and later an LPN for a total of fifty-eight years. She began her career at Ransom Memorial Hospital in Ottawa. She worked at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, University of Kansas Medical Center, and at all of the Topeka Hospitals and some Topeka nursing homes. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Topeka and a former member of First United Methodist Church in Ottawa. Evelyn always enjoyed working outdoors in her flower beds. The beauty of nature was a true love of hers. Her pets were very good companions and she loved them dearly. She was also a collector of books. Most important to Evelyn was her beloved family, in particular her grandchildren where a true blessing in her life. Evelyn is survived by a daughter, Gloria Millick, and her husband Monte, of Topeka, Kansas; a son, Donald Elder, and his wife Sandy, of Wichita, Kansas; a brother, George Woodworth of Apple Valley, California; Four sisters, Marjorie Kelly of Little Rock, Arkansas, Masine Mortorna of Louisiana, Betty Jean Sinclair of Osawatomie, Kansas, Dorothy Mae Sieg of Phoenix, Arizona; a son-in-law, Lloyd Yohe of Ottawa, Kansas; a sister-in-law, Delores Reeves of Tarkio, Missouri; eleven grandchildren; and twenty-seven great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents; a daughter, Nina Faye Yohe; and a brother, Jessie Reeves. SERVICES: Funeral services will be held from the Dengel & Son Mortuary at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 11, 2006. IN STATE: Friends may pay their respects to Mrs. Purcell at the Dengel & Son Mortuary after 1:00 p.m. Wednesday to the service hour, where the family will meet with friends from 7 to 8 Wednesday evening. CEMETERY: Highland Cemetery, Ottawa, Kansas. MEMORIALS: The family suggests memorials to American Heart Association or Multiple Sclerosis Society, c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, Kansas 66067.