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Joyce Catherine Purvis, 76, of Vilonia, surrounded by her family, died September 25, 2010 at a Little Rock hospital after a brief battle with cancer. Born in Little Rock on November 22, 1933 to the late Jay Dee and Lenora Handwork, she was also preceded in death by a son, Christopher Edward Purvis. She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Conway. Through her firm beliefs and by way of her constant example, she imparted to her children a deep and rejuvenating love of nature, as well as the priceless value of education, community involvement and a deeply rooted sense of family.
A retired educator, Mrs. Purvis taught more than 30 years, during which she was head of the Science Departments at McClellan High School in Little Rock and at Sylvan Hills High School in North Little Rock. She also taught Marine Biology at the University of Southern Mississippi.
Although she wasn’t a politician, she regularly attended Vilonia city council meetings and voiced her opinion concerning local affairs. A member of the Native Plant Society, she was a skilled gardener who spent considerable time tending to her flowers, garden and chickens. She loved the company of her 14 year old Yorkie named Rosie. She enjoyed traveling, and with her husband, Jim, traveled frequently with Away We Go Tours.
Mrs. Purvis graduated from Little Rock High School, Henderson State Teachers College, Arkansas State Teachers College and the University of Southern Mississippi. She was a member of the Arkansas Retired Teachers and the Faulkner County Retired Teachers. In her younger years, she taught swimming through a Red Cross water safety program and was a member of the swimming team at the Little Rock Boys Club. She served as director of a camp for underprivileged girls at Joe T. Robinson and as director of the Lamar Porterfield playground in Little Rock.
She leaves behind a host of friends and close knit family, including her husband, Jim of Vilonia; son, James Edward, Jr. of Vilonia; daughters, Catherine Anne “Mitzi” King and husband, Brad of Maumelle and Margaret Darlene “Sissy” Smith and husband, James of Brandon, Mississippi; granddaughter, Michelle King and grandson, John King and wife, Jacqueline, all of Maumelle.
Visitation is Wednesday, September 29 from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 11:00 at Little Rock Funeral Home, 8801 Knoedl Ct. (NW corner I-630 and Barrow Rd.), Little Rock. Burial will follow at Vilonia Cemetery on Cemetery Road in Vilonia.
Arrangements by Little Rock Funeral Home, (501)224-2200. Mrs. Purvis’ online guestbook may be signed at www.littlerockfuneralhome.com.
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Ty Adcock
Mrs. Purvis and Mr. Steinkrauss stimulated my interests in Biology. They were great teachers-pro-student and challenging. Mrs. Purvis saved me from accounting.. and allowed me to work as a TA. Foreshadowing the future, six years later, I was teaching college biology labs in graduate school. I now teach medical students and residents, but the friendship and mentoring that were freely given by these great teachers still impacts me thirty years later. I am thankful for these great teachers.
Dr. Tyrone Adcock
Michelle Sargent (Ellis)
I just loved Mrs. Purvis' Biology class! We learned a lot about life in general, not just what was in the textbook.
Although I didn't know much about God at the time, her faith was so evident. She didn't give a rip about separation about church and state. One day a classmate recounted a story about his resurrection of a dead squirrel. She ever so kindly, but firmly, corrected him. "You may have resucitated him, but only God can give life!"
One hundred and eighty days in her class, and that's what I remember the most...and the "C" on my plant collection.
Michelle Ellis
Laura Ballou (Langstaff)
Mrs. Purvis was on the top of my list for teachers...She was awesome!
Laura Ballou Langstaff