Mary Louise Purdie

Mary Louise Purdie passed away on October 12, 2020.

She was the only child of Edson and Mait Lawrence of Bloomfield, NJ. After primary education she graduated from Wellesley College and worked in the laboratories of Schering Corp.

Mary Lou met her future husband, Otis Purdie, when they were teenagers and they married after he returned home from World War II. During Otis’ tenure with DuPont, they resided and eagerly raised their family in Wilmington, DE, Chicago, IL, Aiken, SC, Parkersburg, WV, and finally Fayetteville. They had four children: Edith, James, Ellen, and Charles and four grandchildren: Jennifer, Christina, Patricia, and Alice.

Mary Lou and her husband spent many joyful decades filled with shared hobbies including scuba diving and traveling to new and unexplored areas. Since coming to Fayetteville, her passion for flower arrangement blossomed and she became very active in Garden Club activities, achieving the rank of Master Judge. She was president of her Garden Club, president of the Garden Club Council, and Director of District 8 of the North Carolina Garden Club. She was also active in the Woman’s Club of Fayetteville where she served as president. She was an active member of Highland Presbyterian Church.

In lieu of flowers, Mary Lou’s family requests showing your support through donations to one of the organizations that were close to her heart:

Highland Presbyterian Church, 111 Highland Ave., Fayetteville, NC 28305; Link: https://hpchurch.org/give

Fayetteville Urban Ministry, 701 Whitfield St., Fayetteville, NC 28306; Link: https://www.fayurbmin.org/donate

Atlantic City Rescue Mission, 2009 Bacharach Blvd., PO Box 5358, Atlantic City, New Jersey 08404; Link: https://www.acrescuemission.org/DonateNow

Wellesley College, Link: https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/12510/donatio...

Services are entrusted to Sullivan’s Highland Funeral Service & Crematory.