Ethelyn Purdy "Eppie" "Effie" Obituary (1919 - 2016)

Ethelyn May Whitehouse Purdy Eppie Effie 1919-2016 Ethelyn M Whitehouse Purdy, 96, of Farmingdale, Maine, passed away peacefully Monday, February 15th, 2016 at the Captain Lewis Residence in Farmingdale. She was Born in North Waldoboro, on April 13th 1919. She is the second daughter Perl and Leila (Mank) Whitehouse. After the death of her parents when she was 16, she moved to Wiscasset to live with her sister and brother-in-law: Celia and Dana Rines. She graduated from Wiscasset High School and played basketball on the championship teams of 1935 and 1936. Ethelyn met her future husband, Ralph A. Purdy, during one of the wonderful Island Park dances and they were married on October 1st, 1939 at the Purdy homestead in Farmingdale. She worked for the War Manpower Commission from 1942-1945 where she earned recognition for her dedicated work with the Federal Service. Following the war, she worked for Depositors Trust, then was employed with MSEA until her retirement at age 90. As a couple, Ethelyn and Ralph ran a building contractor business in Gardiner. They then opened Purdy's Antique Shop in Hallowell, Maine where they took much joy in serving the surrounding communities. Spending many weekends traveling with their good friends, Maxine and Erv Nason, they had fun camping in PEI and golfing in North Conway, NH. Most Saturdays, Ethelyn and her best friend and sister in law, Barbara Purdy Cole, were typically seen shopping throughout the area, then stopping at the House of Pancakes for blueberry muffins and coffee, where Ethelyn was known as Ms. Blue. Ethelyn Purdy is survived her only daughter, Barbara Purdy Gipson and Barbara's husband, Lew, three granddaughters: Tami York and her husband, Peter, of Kennebunk; Kelly Stottler and her husband Roy of Farmingdale; Meghann Gipson and her husband Ben Ramsdell of Gardiner. She was loved by four great-grandchildren: Edward Lewis York, Sydney Meret Halle, Anna Ethelyn York, and David Andrew York. Ethelyn also leaves behind several dear nieces and nephews. Visiting hours will be Saturday, February 20th, 2016 from 12-2 p.m. at Staples Funeral Home, 53 Brunswick Avenue, Gardiner. Following visiting hours, there will be a celebration of life at 2pm at the same location. Burial will be conducted August, 6th at Oak Grove Cemetery. The family would like to thank the staff at Captain Lewis Residence for their years of loving care, Maine General Medical Center nursing staff, and the Health Reach Hospice nursing staff. Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page website: www.staplesfuneralhome.com Donations may be made in her name to the Gardiner Library Association, 152 Water Street, Gardiner, Maine 04345.