Maude Beatrice PURNELL

Enid News and Eagle Enid, Garfield Co., OK

03-20-2011

Submitted by: Jo Aguirre

Funeral service for Maude Beatrice Purnell, 106, of Enid, will be 2 p.m. Saturday, March 26, 2011, at Central Christian Church with Senior Minister John P. McLemore Sr. officiating. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery under direction of Brown-Cummings Funeral Home.

Maude Beatrice Purnell was born April 26, 1904, in Covington, Okla., to Emsteard Gilford and Sadie Bell (Dally) Clodfelter. Maude died Sunday, March 20, 2011, at St. Mary's Regional Medical Center.

Maude came from a close-knit family of 10 children, seven of whom survived to adulthood. She grew up on a farm in Covington, which her parents bought soon after the Cherokee Strip Land Run. She attended Bryan Country School until she completed eighth grade. She moved to Enid to go to high school.

Maude attended college at Stillwater and became certified to teach. She taught in a rural school northwest of Enid and at a country school in Stanton. Maude married Charles Earl Purnell, her high-school sweetheart on Nov. 29,1928. They had two children, Nelda Joan and Charles Neil. Maude went to work for the telephone company in 1935 and retired in 1969. After retirement, Maude became an avid volunteer

She was an active member of Central Christian Church, quilted weekly with friends at Bethany United Methodist Church, worked tirelessly as a volunteer for 35 years in the gift shop at St. Mary's Hospital and faithfully enjoyed her garden club for many years. Her strong faith in Jesus motivated her to continually contribute to others, who were in need

Maude was preceded in death by her husband and two children. Maude is survived by her son-in-law, John Westervelt; five grandchildren and their spouses, Paul Westervelt and wife Sandy, Mary Kim Gray and husband Robert, Chuck Purnell, Marissa Sedlock and husband Tim, and Rachel Roark and husband Dillon. She also is survived by five great-grandchildren, Brett Westervelt and wife Melody, Amy Westervelt, Timmy Charles Sedlock, Joel Gray and Kyla Gray. She is survived by one great-great-granddaughter, Charlotte Westervelt. Maude's survivors also include several nieces and nephews and many dear friends.