Ruth Saunders Purvis

Ruth Saunders Purvis peacefully departed this world on August 12, 2025, surrounded by family at the age of 96.

Ruth is survived by her four children, Dr. Edward Sanford Purvis (Ellen) of South Boston, John Rayburn Purvis (Jenny) of Beaverdam, Elizabeth Purvis Shepard (Chris) of Shipman, Martha Purvis Smith (Shane) of Spotsylvania; nine grandchildren, Virginia Cook (Kevin), Martha Cassidy (Ryan), Jessica Vance (Geoff), Joey Purvis (Hannah), Rachael Brown (Charles), Sanford Shepard, Delia Shepard, Forrest Smith, and Evelyn Smith, and eight great grandchildren, Teddy, Charlotte, Daelan, Shepherd, Noelle, Thacker, Daisy, and Conway; sister,Betty Walker, and many nephews, nieces, and cousins.

She was preceded in her passing by her devoted husband of 65 years, John Edward Purvis, her parents, John Raeburn Saunders and Julia Elizabeth Turpin Saunders Bethel, and her brother, John Raeburn Saunders, Jr.

Ruth was born on October 2, 1928, in Tyro, Virginia. She had happy memories of swimming in the Tye River with John and Betty and loved listening to the radio with her father. Her Aunt Susie taught her to read, and she spent many hours enjoying a good book. After graduating from Fleetwood High School in 1944, she moved to Lynchburg, where she graduated from business college and worked as a secretary at Craddock-Terry. She moved back to Nelson County to her family’s home at East Branch and worked as a secretary at Piney River Plant. It was there that she met John Ed, and they married in 1954. She and John Ed lived in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where he was stationed with the United States Air Force and where she worked as a legal secretary. In 1957, she and John Ed moved back home to Nelson County to begin raising a family. After being a homemaker for many years, Ruth returned to work outside the home and enjoyed working at Peoples Bank in Lovingston, the Nelson County Clerk’s Office, and with Circuit Court Judge Robert Goad.

Ruth was a member of Jonesboro Baptist Church in her youth, and she and John Ed were members of Nelson United Methodist Church. She loved the pastor, Dr. Edwin Clever, and called the members her church family. Over the years, Ruth volunteered in numerous ways, including as a Sunday school teacher and as a Girl Scout Brownie troop leader. Ruth was also always willing to keep the home fires burning while John Ed attended his many meetings.

Ruth loved being a wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She was a wonderful mother-in-law and was always supportive of her children and their families. She also loved being the daughter-in-law of Daisy and Sanford Purvis and was as devoted to them as they were to her. Like her mother, Liz, her aunts Susie and Dell, and her sister Betty, Ruth was an excellent cook. The family has many fond memories of delicious meals and good times with the Saunders and Purvis sides of the family. Ruth became legally blind in the second half of her life and adapted remarkably to her limitations. She truly had a place for everything and everything in its place.

Ruth was blessed with her own family, a church family, a Nelson County family of friends to her and John Ed, and in her last year, a family at Fairmont Crossing of staff and fellow residents. The family would like to thank all of you for your love and support over the years. We will all greatly miss her.

The family will receive friends from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 14, 2025, in the fellowship hall at Nelson United Methodist Church.

A funeral service will be held after at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 14, 2025, at Nelson United Methodist Church.

Interment at the Purvis Family Cemetery will be after the funeral service.

If desired, memorial contributions may be made to Nelson United Methodist Church Building Fund or Emanuel Youth Mission.

Arrangements by Wells/Sheffield Funeral Chapel, Lovingston (434-263-4097).