Jean Ruth Penfield-Purcell

1939 - 2020

Jean Ruth Penfield-Purcell, 81, was born, August 8, 1939, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts to James Penfield and Ruth Penfield. Jean passed away Sunday October 25, 2020. She grew up in Greenfield Massachusetts finishing High School there in 1957 before attending Nasson College in Springvale, Maine.

Jean's personality was sweet, loving, kind and outgoing from the time she was a little girl until she passed away on October 25 after long illnesses; everyone just loved her. She a was very popular student and also a five letter athlete in high school.

She met her husband Dave Purcell the first night at college when some girls from the women's dormitory decided to go to one of the large mens dorms and talk to boys there. A small group including Jean and Dave walked to nearby to "Teds" Cafe for a coke and English muffin. They later began dating, then married in 1959. A year later, son Scott was born and they decided to move to California. They drove their small car and trailer to Los Angeles and began their new life together there. Jean was a homemaker and Dave began his career in the Electronics industry. Two years later, a son Sandon was born. Jean and Dave eventually moved to San Diego to start the family's first company, and have lived in Point Loma for forty years.

When sons Scott and Sandy departed to college, Jean began work outside the home as a real estate professional in Point Loma. eventually she became a cofounder of 'Village Realty', where she helped many of her fellow Jehovah's Witness parishioners buy their first homes.

Together, Jean and Dave were an entrepreneurial couple with great spirit. Jean was a very spiritual and theocratic Jehovah's Witness from her 20s to the end of her life. She dedicated her life to helping others, and philanthropy. When she was in her 20s, she was part of the government 'Head Start' program helping serve children who were poor and in great need of help.

While living in Point Loma she became a member of the La Playa Auxiliary of Rady Children's Hospital and part of the 'Children's Circle of Care' philanthropy group.; Jean was also a Title Sponsor of the 'Children's Cancer Run' for a decade. In addition she was a spokesperson for UCSD Health for two years, and, on the Patients Advisory Committee for the new Jacobs Hospital for Women. Jean was also a member of 'The Trustees Circle' at the San Diego Zoological Society, and member of the 'Aardvarks' at the zoo, a philanthropic group.

Jean was a collector of fine wines and along with her husband Dave belonged to The Confrere des Chevaliers du Tastevin, and, The International Wine and Food Society of La Jolla. They were long time boaters and members of SDYC.

Jean was husband Dave's Muse; Dave an Inventor, developed the first upright medical walker, [The UpWalker] to help her continue walking instead of having to be in a wheelchair, as her cerebellar ataxia, a balance disorder, progressed.

Both sons Scott and Sandy were educated at USC and UCSD respectively and are successful entrepreneurs specializing in finance. Jean and Dave have five grandchildren, Riley, Maddie, Katie, Nick, and Alexandria.

Jean and Dave loved skiing, camping, travel, boating and adventure together, and were able to visit six of the seven continents together.

Surviving Jean are her brother, Robert Penfield of Greenfield, Massachusetts; and Joan Penfield-Silver, of Chandler, Arizona, her identical twin sister.

Services for Jean include a celebration of life at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses via Zoom on Sunday November 8, 2020, at 10 AM

For more information email jim@mccabelaw.net.