Obituary of Patricia Anne Casey Purvis
PURVIS, Patricia Anne Casey, Trish or Trisha to most, passed away unexpectedly, but peacefully, in her sleep last week, at her home in Kingston.
Given the unprecedented times that we are now in, there cannot be any service for the time being. Mom has been cremated at James Reid Funeral Home, where there is an online condolences page. (www.jamesreidfuneralhome.com). There will be a celebration of life when we are all freely able to assemble and raise a glass. In lieu of flowers or baskets, please feel free to contribute to the educational charity of your choice.
She was, as always, surrounded by books, plants, art, knick-knacks a plenty, and so many photos and memories of her family and dear friends. Cards from, and photos of, her 5 beloved grandchildren were literally everywhere - she loved being surrounded by the ones she loved. She lived so bravely for more than 27 years after the sudden passing of her soul mate Doug, and was an inspiration to her family and friends for thriving as an independent woman. She loved her sons fiercely, and was so adored by us. Her grandchildren loved their TT, and she so enjoyed and cherished their company, both as the doting grandmother and retired teacher.
Mom was born in Penzance at the southern tip of Cornwall, England, near the end of WWII. As such, her love for good butter, cheddar cheese on a biscuit, a cup of tea, and gardens were an ingrained part of her life and routine. At the age of 12 her mother bravely took her by train to Liverpool, ocean liner to Montreal, another long train to Vancouver, then finally on to Victoria, BC to make their new home and start a new life. And what a new life did she start. In Victoria she became great, and lifelong, friends with Janet and Phillipa. She went on to attend UVIC, where she met the love of her life, Doug Purvis, whom she married in 1967.
Mom began her teaching career in a rougher area of the South side of Chicago, where Doug was finishing his PhD. Upon his graduation and the birth of Jaime in 1971, they moved to the old Customs house in Gananoque while Doug started his career at Queen's, with Josh arriving in no short order in 1972, the school room teaching was replaced by two under two. At this point, the Purvii were fortunate enough to move to St. Lawrence Ave in Kingston at the same time as Diane Kelly and Bernard Burkom, with their children Jack and Kelly. The two families became extraordinarily close and are still. The life of an academic on the rise can involve a lot of travel, and Mom ably and tolerantly shepherded this young family to terms or years away in New Haven, London, Sydney, Warwick and Stockholm over the next 8 years. The rest of her life, with the exception of 8 months in France in 1987, was spent in Kingston, where, returning to full time teaching, she became a child and parent favourite on her various stops, finishing her career at her beloved RG Sinclair. Along the way, we lost Dad in 1993, and Mom coped and thrived, taking great joy in the cottage at Simcoe Island, often with her sidekick Bandit, and the marriages of Jaime to Paige and Josh to Nancy, five days apart!
Mom's well-timed retirement started just after the arrival of her first three grandchildren Oscar, Quinlan and Maggie (in 14 months), and followed thereon by Beckett and Stella. If she wasn't travelling to see them, she was off on another adventure with Diane, and often the rest of her posse -- Judy, Shelagh and Nancy, dear friends in Kingston and cottagers the lot. This group of women (and their amazing husbands) formed the greatest support group that Mom could ever have asked for, and she cherished their friendships dearly. Her life and retirement were enriched by this group of friends and the communities of the economics department and Queen's more broadly, and that of Kingston, where she felt so at home.
Mom was busy to the end, Chairing the Board for Frontenac County Child Care, volunteering with an adopted Syrian family, and volunteering at the Hospital. Line Dancing and pilates replaced running in the last few years, always remaining active. Taking up golf late in life, Mom never got better at it, but she loved her 9-and-dines with Jane, Di and Di. She loved to travel - on the first plane out of Egypt AFTER the uprising, an earthquake in Turkey, and so many other experiences that her sons couldn't keep up with the itineraries she provided.
We will all miss Mom, and it will be some time before we stop looking to her favourite perches in various houses and cottages, expecting to find her, white wine in one hand, shamelessly holding a murder mystery in the other. What a life the little Cornish girl created! Small in stature but not in might. So rich in love, friendship and experiences. What a lesson for us all from the teacher, friend, grandmother and mom.
