Celia G. Purdie

FAYETTEVILLE - Mrs. Celia Grantham Purdie, of Fayetteville, passed away peacefully on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2010, after a long struggle with declining health. She was a loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. It was speculated that she might pass away on Tuesday before her beloved Democrats went down in defeat, but she was never a quitter and didn't start then. The funeral will be Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2010, at 11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Fayetteville, led by Dr. John Wright Coker Jr. The family will greet friends from 10 to 11 a.m. in the church parlor before the service. Burial will follow the service in Cross Creek Cemetery No. 3. She was born Jan. 13, 1919, in Grantham, to Laurah and Joseph Grantham, the second of six children. She graduated from Grantham School, Louisburg Junior College and East Carolina (Technical College back then, not University), where she proudly played the horn in the marching band. After teaching school in Lagrange, she moved to Fayetteville in 1942, working for the Employment Security Commission. She would marry John Purdie in 1947, having frequently double-dated with John and his mom, Agnes, who would love her new "daughter" dearly. She would always play some role in the family business, A.K. McCallum Co.; her charming manner would make sales whether she knew what she was talking about or not (and she usually did). She taught first grade at Camden Road Elementary, and later was the head of the branch libraries for the Cumberland County Public Library for many years. A typical day in retirement would include cooking a full breakfast when John returned from his 6 a.m. swim, a quick read of two newspapers (and maybe a crossword), and several hours of meetings or volunteer work at the church. Lunch took up too much time for her (she used to say she married John for better or worse, but not for lunch), though she would sometimes make an exception and feed us her world class pimento cheese or hot dogs with her homemade chili. Next would come several hours of bookwork at the store, followed by a daily nursing home visit to old friend, Mattie Mae. A gourmet, country-cooked supper would come next, concluded by sewing or knitting something for some child somewhere, usually with one eye finely tuned to some ball game. OK, not every day was like this; some were busier. She was pretty amazing. She loved birds, plants, family, friends, traveling and church. She was awarded a lifetime membership from the Women of the First Presbyterian Church. She loved watching games. She was at the historic 1966 NCAA basketball final between Kentucky and Texas Western. She was known to win more than her share of NCAA basketball pools. She was predeceased by husband John in 2007, after 59 years of marriage. She is survived by two sons, John Jr. "Sturdy" and wife Barbara of Matthews, and Alan of Bald Head Island; a granddaughter, Jodi Jenkins and husband Joe of Stallings; a grandson, Matthew Purdie and wife Elizabeth of Charlotte; three great-granddaughters, Caroline Purdie, Sarah Purdie and Hannah Purdie, all of Charlotte; a great-grandson, Jacob Jenkins of Stallings; a brother, Jerry Grantham of Grantham; 15 nieces and nephews; and her best friend and neighbor ever, Mrs. Pat Nunalee of Fayetteville. Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 102 Ann St., Fayetteville, NC 28301. Arrangements by Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home of Fayetteville.