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Delores Purcell, aka Dodi, Sister, Nana, and Memaw, was born on Oct. 16, 1931 in Columbus, Texas and died peacefully in her sleep on April 8, 2023. Delores attended and graduated from Columbus schools, where she was a twirler for the Columbus High School.
Her parents owned a grocery store in Columbus where she spent many hours after school helping out. After graduating from high school, she worked at the Colorado County Courthouse in the title office for about 10 years. In 1954, at Cody’s drive in, she met the love of her life, Ed Purcell, who was from Ballground, Georgia and they married in 1956.
After marriage she and Ed traveled and lived in several states for Ed’s work as a NASA engineer.
Delores and Ed raised two children, Kim, born in Columbus, Texas in November 1957 and Gary, born in Escondido, California in September 1960.
They lived in Houston where they had many friends, and Delores had a ceramics and resale shop, until Ed’s retirement in 1995 whereupon they moved back to Columbus.
Along with being a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and friend to many, Delores excelled in her talents as a piano teacher, seamstress, gardener, painter, cook and ceramics maker. She especially enjoyed her garden and in particular her succulents.
Delores was a lifelong member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Columbus where she played piano and organ in her youth. She was an active member of the Columbus Garden Club where her horticulture talent thrived and was awarded the title of gardener emeritus. She was also a member of the Columbus German Club. Delores loved traveling, gambling in Las Vegas and Louisiana, collections of all sorts and especially her pets.
If you knew Delores you were a lifelong friend and member of her family. She was a true southern lady who was a devoted friend and would go out of her way for anyone. She enjoyed dressing up to the “nines” for any occasion, loved wearing jewelry, getting her hair done and could mix a killer margarita. She truly lived a full life and was ready to meet her maker and be reunited with her loved ones.
Delores is preceded in death by her parents, Edmund and Henrietta Fehrenkamp, her husband of almost 60 years, Ed Purcell, her daughter Kim Hardy, and her brother Delmar Fehrenkamp.
Her surviving family members are Gary Purcell and wife Suzy, grandchildren Shelby Purcell and Cole Hardy, five great grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 13, 2023 from 5-7 p.m. at Henneke Funeral Home in Columbus, Texas.
Funeral service will be Friday, April 14, 2023 at 10 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Columbus with Pastor Alan Kethan officiating. Visitation at church will be from 9-10 a.m.
Burial will be in Odd Fellows Rest Cemetery in Columbus, Texas.
Pallbearers are Cole Hardy, Brandy Divin, Heidi May, Jeffrey Pavlicek, Justin Frieda and Mike McCormick. Honorary pallbearers are Shelby Purcell, Brian Grogg, Paul Grogg, Tim Ehlers and Gregg Barnes.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to donate to St. Paul Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 267, Columbus, Texas 78934 or the Alzheimer’s Association, 6055 South Loop East, Houston, Texas 77087.
Online condolences may be given at www.hennekefuneralhome. com.
