Mary Jo Purvis

Published 7:01 pm Wednesday, October 8, 2008

WEST BERRIEN— Mary Jo Purvis, 70 of West Berrien Community died Monday, Oct. 6, 2008 at Tift Regional Medical Center. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today at New River Holiness Church with the Rev. Dean Bowling, the Rev. A. D. Connell, the Rev. L. D. Blevins, Bro. Gerald Lee and Bro. Charles Connell officiating. Interment will follow at the church cemetery. Serving as active pallbearers will be Andy Griffin, Josh Autry, Timothy Stone, Clay Connell, Gary Hollis, Chad Dunn, Jason Tanner and Ben Brock. Honorary pallbearers will be Larry Hale, Edward Horton, Keith Parker, Mark Brown, Junior Purvis, Russell Brown, Maston Bennett, and Vernon Purvis. Music selections will be “Mama’s Song,” “Peace In My Soul,” “Go Rest High On That Mountain,” “Handful of Weeds,” and “I Want To Know How It Feels,” sung by Mrs. Purvis’ children.

She was born May 2, 1938 to the late Arvle and Geneva Lockmiller Jones. Mrs. Purvis enjoyed singing with her family and was a member of New River Holiness Church. Survivors include her husband, Leon E. Purvis of West Berrien; four daughters and sons-in-law, Sandra and Steve Griffin of Tifton, Peggy Young of Tifton, Felicia “Lisa” and Melvin Autry of West Berrien, and Lawanna and Steve Brock of West Berrien; 12 grandchildren, Jamie and Clay Connell, Andy and Deanna Griffin, Dawn and Gary Hollis, Kayla and Chad Dunn, Ashley and Timothy Stone, Josh Autry, Hannah Brock, Ben Brock, Levi Brock, Sarah Brock, Seth Brock, and Matthew Brock; three great-grandchildren, Cayde Hollis, Abbey Griffin, and Brady Connell; one brother and one sister-in-law, Robert and Peggy Scott of Rainsville, Ala.; one sister, Brenda Tanner of Rome; and caregiver, Dorothy Jones.

Purvis Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.