Jacquelene "Jackie" Purdy

Jacquelene Wimberly Purdy (Jackie), age 83, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family in Pascagoula on June 7, 2023. She was born on May 14, 1940 to Ralph Eugene and Sarah Pauline Wimberly in Sledge, MS. 

After attending high school in Sledge, she decided to move to the gulf coast where she lived with relatives in Moss Point.  She briefly worked at McLellans five and dime and liked to hang out at Hollis Skating rink.  It was here that she met the love of her life, Butch Purdy. They married June 13, 1959 and went on to have three children, Chuck, Doug and Lisa.

Jackie was raised in the Nazarene Church where she grew up in North Mississippi.  She has always been a faithful member and she made sure her family would grow up and be a part of their church in Pascagoula.  After the church relocated to Ocean Springs, it became Cross Roads Church of the Nazarene, her last home church.  

She loved working in her yard, shopping, doing word search puzzles and cross stitching, but most of all she loved spending time with her family.  She always loved being a homemaker and a stay at home mom, but when she became a “Mamaw”, it was clear that this would be her most treasured title.   Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren meant the world to her, and she loved them all deeply.

In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband of almost 64 years (June 13), Robert Charles (Butch) Purdy, two sisters Bobbie Rodgers and Brenda Brown, and brother Ralph Wimberly.

She is survived by her two sons and daughter; Chuck Purdy(Marla) of Hurley, MS;  Doug Purdy(Dina) of Ocean Springs, MS;  Lisa Morgan(Kevin) of Mobile, AL;  7 grandchildren;  Chad Purdy(Blair) of Pascagoula, MS;  Nick Purdy(Alyssa) of Pascagoula, MS;  Natalie Baker(Josh) of Mobile, AL;  Todd Purdy of Houston, TX;  Michael Purdy of Houston, TX;  Coy Morgan(Mattie) of Mobile, AL;  Kayla Byrne(Jett) of Mobile, AL;  7 great-grandchildren;  Blaze Baker, Caroline and Camille Purdy, Ann Marie and Abe Purdy, Luke and Matthew Morgan.  Numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Pallbearers will be Chad Purdy, Nick Purdy, Todd Purdy, Michael Purdy, Coy Morgan and Jett Byrne.  

The family would like to thank caregivers, Donna Russell and Mary Dardar, for their continued care and support while watching over our mom. Thank you to the Hospice of Light team, especially Lisa Burroughs and Katrina Rush, for your time, compassion and kindness to our family while taking great care of our mom this last year. Thank you all for loving our mom.

Visitation will be Tuesday, June 13, 2023, from 11:30am to 1:00pm at O’Bryant – O’Keefe Funeral Home Pascagoula, with the funeral service to begin at 1:00pm. Internment will conclude at Jackson County Memorial Park. To share condolences or a memory of Jackie, please visit the tribute wall at www.obryantokeefe.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made memory of her to the Cross Roads Church of the Nazarene, 6150 Firestone Street, Ocean Springs, MS 39564.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jacquelene "Jackie" Purdy, please visit our floral store.