Corsicana - Early Life and Faith

Margie was born September 12, 1938 to Lillian (Stover) Turner and Claude Cody Turner. She was the granddaughter of Monroe Addison Turner ( a Methodist minister for sixty-five years) a heritage that was deeply significant in her life. She was reared in a Methodist atmosphere and was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church. Moreover, she was devoted to Our Lord Jesus and exhibited that unabashedly.

Education and Musical Gifts

Margie lived her school years in Hawkins, Texas, where her father was employed by Humble Oil. She was an academic achiever and was valedictorian in both Jr. High School and High School. She was a graduate of Business College in Tyler, once again with distinction.

Margie was a gifted and knowledgeable musician. She was comfortable playing three different band instruments as well as piano and organ. During her high school years, she served as the organist for her church.

Marriage and Family Life

In 1958, Margie married her childhood sweetheart, Tom Purifoy, a chemical engineering student at Texas A&M University. She promptly went to work at age 19 as the executive secretary to the plant manager of a large Bryan furniture manufacturer. In this capacity, she supported herself and Tom while he finished his degree.

Margie's focus in life was being a Christian, wife and mother. She was the mother of three children (Kathy, Brad and Julie). She was a stay-at-home mother, and actively supported them through childhood, school and later college. These formative years for the children were in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where Margie and Tom made a circle of friends from various other states. In later years the family was joyfully enriched by the arrival of grandchildren, Taylor, Holly, Matthew and Connor and further blessed by the addition of great grandchildren, Jessa, Rylee, and Nolan.

Faith, Work, and Service in Corsicana

In, 1975, Margie and her family moved to Corsicana. They immediately became members of First Methodist Church where Margie continued her primary focus as a Christian wife and mother. She also began to serve as Secretary to Westside Baptist Church, eventually working with seven different pastors. She accepted this job because it allowed her to fulfill her commitment to always be present for her children. The Baptists welcomed this life-long Methodist as one of their own, and Margie referred to them as her first cousins to Methodists. She was inspired by many saints there and made cherished lasting friendships. What began as a temporary undertaking developed into a career of almost thirty-nine years. Margie then referred to herself as a hybrid Methodist/Baptist.

Familyand Memorial Information

Margie was preceded in death by her parents, Claude and Lillian Turner; her sister, Ruth Weaver; her brother, Malcolm Turner; her son-in-law, Michael Summers; and her granddaughter, Holly Hamon.

She is survived by her husband, Tom; her son, Brad Purifoy, and his wife, Nancy; her daughter, Kathy Hamon, and her husband, Keith; her daughter, Julie Landrum, and her husband, Don; her grandchildren, Taylor Hamon, Matthew Summers, and Connor Summers; and her great-grandchildren, Jessa Hamon, Rylee Hamon, and Nolan Hamon.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to First United Methodist Church Prayer Ministries.