Doris Marie Purnell went to be with the Lord on March 12, 2026 at the age of 80. An example of a life well lived, she was born on November 22, 1945 in Wilmington, DE to Harvey and Madelon Newton.

Moving from Delaware to Elkton, MD as a teenager, she graduated from Elkton High School in 1963 and attended and graduated from Central School of Beauty Culture in 1964. After graduating beauty school, she married her high school sweetheart and love of her life, Jerry Purnell. After two years, she started a family and welcomed her first child Kimberly and Yvonne, Jerry and Stephanie followed over the next 8 years.

Doris was a stay-at-home mom who provided unending love and support to her 4 children and loving husband. She was a huge presence with the friends of Villa Aviat at Mount Aviat Academy where all 4 of her children attended. She also worked side by side with her husband at Cape Cod Furniture, the family furniture store and later opened a children’s clothing store, The Elkton Outlet, with her sister Betty Moore. Doris was always able to handle the busy and never ending struggles to balance work, her children and a loving family, and she did it with grace and much love. Her home was always open, her table always full and her love and care were never in question.

Doris was a beautiful, amazing person who loved her family more than anything. Her family grew and added 5 beautiful grandchildren, and one great grandchild. She enjoyed cooking and baking for her family, always hosting family and friends and holiday dinners. She enjoyed spending much time at their beach house in Fenwick Island, DE creating many fond memories of boating, time on the beach and enjoying friends and family.

Doris and her husband moved to Earlville, MD and lived in a beautiful Chesapeake Bay front home in Bay View Estates. They spent their retirement years enjoying beautiful sunsets and many Sunday dinners and holiday festivities with their family and friends. They then moved to Hudson, Florida for a short stay and then moved to the mountains of Roan Mountain, TN where she passed after her four year battle with Alzheimer’s. Her loving husband (and caregiver) was by her side until the end.

She is survived by her ever faithful and loving husband of 62 years, Jerry; her four children, Kim and her husband John, Brookline, MA, Yvonne and her husband Steve, Roan Mountain, TN, Jerry and his partner Shelly, Hudson, FL and Stephanie and husband Dennis, Middletown, DE, her grandchildren, Kayla (Jack), Cole (Sydney), Chace, Lexi, and Lauren and great grandson, Jaxon. Doris is also survived by her sister and best friend Betty Moore, her brother Harvey and wife Joanne Newton and her many nieces and nephews. Doris was preceded in death by her parents, Harvey and Madelon Newton, her sister Joanne Lackford and husband James, her brother-in-law Howard Moore, and her niece Michelle Newton Smith. She will also be greatly missed by her very dear friends, George and Betty Juergens.

Services and interment will be private per her wishes. She will be buried in the Cherry Hill Methodist Cemetery next to the church where she was married and a member of, for many years. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to her favorite charitable organization, St. Judes Children’s Hospital.