Louella Purcell

Louella Marie Hahn Purcell, 92, of Olathe, Kan., formerly of Scott City, died Thursday, May 16, 2013, at Overland Park Regional Medical Center in Overland Park, Kan.

She was born Dec. 19, 1920, in Eleanor, Ohio, to Norton and Rosa Clark Hahn, the ninth of 10 children. She grew up in southern Ohio near Cincinnati. Louella often talked about the fun times she shared with her siblings, especially those closest to her in age.

She and Edward K. Purcell were married Oct. 25, 1941, in Goshen, Ohio. To this union were born four children. They started their marriage as farmers, but "EK" [as Edward was known] soon left a pregnant wife and 18-month-old son to serve his country in the Navy. Things weren't easy for the military families with such poor communication opportunities available to them.

After her husband pastored for several years, the family went to South America to be missionaries in the jungles of Suriname, where Louella became a nurse, school teacher, mid-wife and friend to all. Later in life, she referred to those days of snakes, alligators, hammocks with mosquito nets, vampire bats, fire ants, along with drinking, bathing, washing dishes and laundry all from the same river as "the good days".

From there, the family was transferred to Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. Her greatest joy was in helping people, such as making a pot of soup, a cake, baking pies, entertaining church people, and especially baking cookies for teens or children. Her hobbies were raising flowers, camping, fishing and canning from the bountiful harvest of her and EK's garden and orchard. She worked in nursing homes quite a number of years, the last place being 17 years at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau.

Survivors include four children, Ed (Doris) Purcell of Olathe, Barbara (Frank) Crockett of Silvis, Ill., Minnie Martin of Topeka, Kan., and Tim (Dawn) Purcell of Charles City, Iowa; 12 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by all of her siblings, as well as her husband of 67 years.

"Her children rise up and call her blessed." Proverbs 31:28.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with Tim Purcell officiating. Entombment will be in Cape County Memorial Park Mausoleum in Cape Girardeau.

Memorial contributions may be given to Global Partners for work being done in Suriname.

Online condolences may be made at fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.