Ruth Purviance

Ruth M. Purviance, 88, of Jefferson, died Saturday, December 5, 2015, at the Greene County Medical Center Long Term Care in Jefferson after being in failing health for several years.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, Dec. 11, at First United Methodist Church, Jefferson. Visitation will precede from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. A luncheon will follow the service. A private family interment will be held later in the day at Panora West cemetery, Panora, IA.

Ruth Marvel Schoonover Purviance, was the daughter of Ross and Princy (Messinger) Schoonover. She was born on April 14, 1927, in Kansas City, MO. She graduated from Guthrie Center High School in 1944. She served as a legal secretary for the Greene County Deputy Treasures Office for eight years. Prior to that, Ruth was a legal secretary for three years and was Deputy Clerk of Court in Guthrie County for nine years before that. On August 1, 1946, Ruth was united in marriage to Leland “Satch” Purviance in Troy, Kansas. The couple made their home in Panora, then Guthrie Center, moving to Jefferson in 1969. They had three sons, Johnny Lee who died in infancy, Richard and Ronald. When Ruth lived in Guthrie Center, she was active in that community, belonging to First United Methodist Church and the Order of the Eastern Star.  While living in Jefferson, Ruth attended First United Methodist Church and was a member of the B.P.O. Does #196.  She and “Satch” loved their travels, they loved spending time at their cabin in Minnesota, snowmobiling, time with friends and family.

Preceding her in death were her husband, parents and infant son.

She is survived by her two sons, Rick (Jodi) Purviance, Johnston, IA and Ronn (Joyce) Purviance of Guthrie Center; a sister-in-law, Wanda Gray in Ohio; brother-in-law, Bernard Purviance of Stuart, IA, seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren, other relatives and many friends.

We wish to thank the Long Term Care Center in Jefferson for their years of dedicated and loving service to our mother, Ruth! She always loved it there!

Memorial contributions may be made in care of the Purviance family.  Services were arranged by Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home, Jefferson, (515) 386-2171.