April 3, 1935—April 29, 2024 Mary Elizabeth Purnell (age 89), beloved wife, mother, grandma, aunty and great-grandma of Helena, MT passed away peacefully April 29, 2024, at Peace Hospice in Great Falls, MT with family at her side after a sudden illness. Mary was born April 3, 1935, to Vincent and Martha Daly in Great Falls, MT. Mary grew up in a farmhouse along the Sun River in Great Falls with her folks and six siblings.
She graduated from Great Falls Central Catholic High School, moved to Seattle and worked as a telephone operator and briefly lived with family on Balboa Island, CA. While back home in Great Falls for a friend's wedding, fate brought her and Richard J. Purnell together again and they married soon after.
Their love story actually began as young children playing together on the ore hills of Butte, MT where their families lived next door to one another in Centerville. Richard "Dick" and Mary recently celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary together as lifelong partners – it was always special to see them dance to their song, "I Believe in You" by Don Williams. As Dick and Mary made a life together, they were quickly blessed with four daughters Shanna, Cheri, Valerie and Mary Sue "Susie".
We remember mom's side of the bed as a safe haven after having a bad dream, comforting us when we were ill and was an expert hugger when life took difficult turns. Life was shattered in 1968 when Shanna passed into Heaven at seven years old, however Mary's Catholic faith n.
