Joseph J. Purnell, Sr.

Joseph J. (EZ-Joe) Purnell, Sr., 76, of Conneaut Lake, passed away suddenly Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at Meadville Medical Center.

He was born November 11, 1936 in Lawrenceville, a son of William H. and Mary Ellen Saxinger Purnell.  He married Mary Pounds August 15, 1998.

Joe was a very proud U.S. Marine Corps. Veteran, serving from 1954 to 1958.  Following his honorable discharge, he worked in the steel mills at J & L Steel, Pittsburgh and subsequently moved to Washington D.C. in 1960 and worked for the D.C. Transit as a street car operator.  In 1961 he moved to Santa Monica, CA and worked for the Metropolitan Transit Authority as a bus driver, retiring in 1985.

Joe was a member of Our Lady Queen of the Americas Church, Conneaut Lake.  He additionally was a proud member of the Marine Corps. League, Conneaut Lake Volunteer Fire Dept. Station 3, Pymatuning Sportsman’s Club, Conneaut Lake Sportsman’s Club, Conneaut Lake Historical Society, and the American Legion.

He was a volunteer at the Custaloga Town Scout Reservation with the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts.  He was always ready to share his scouting skills, and his love of art with many nieces, nephews, and others.  He enjoyed boating on Conneaut Lake with his pontoon boat.

Survivors, in addition to his loving wife Mary, include three sons, Michael Purnell and his wife Bernadette of Lancaster, CA, Joseph Purnell, Jr. and his wife Christy of Mountain View, CA, and Thomas Purnell and his wife Kate of Valencia, CA; a daughter, Holly Moskowitz and her husband Allan of Canyon Country, CA; two stepdaughters, Denise Ballard and her husband Jeff of Saugus, CA and Michelle Straughan and her husband Bill of Santa Clarita, CA; a stepson, Aaron Luke Klein of Coalinga, CA; two brothers, Thomas Purnell and William Purnell, both of Pittsburgh; four sisters, Mary Ellen Purnell, Alice Niggl and her husband Tom, Pat Shanahan, and Maxine Leist, all of Pittsburgh; ten grandchildren, Hannah, Michaela, Conner, David, Anthony, Julianna, Joshua, Jonah, Noah, and Lindsay; six step-grandchildren, Kimberly, Ryan, Stephen, Andrew, Brittany, and Hannah; one great-grandson, James Hunter; a sister-in-law, Claire Purnell of Pittsburgh; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Anna Straka and a brother, John Purnell.

Calling hour will be Saturday, March 9th from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Our Lady Queen of the Americas Church, 155 S. Ninth St., Conneaut Lake where a Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12:00 p.m. with Fr. Steve Anderson as Celebrant.

Inurnment will be in Our Lady Queen of the Americas Cemetery with military honors provided by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2006, Meadville.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Sharing and Caring, Inc. (Adopt a Veteran Program), P.O. Box 2616, Pittsburgh, PA 15230-2616 or Toys for Tots, 654 Arch St., Suite C-001, Meadville, PA 16335 or online at www.toysfortots.org.

Arrangements are under the direction of Waid-Coleman Funeral Home, 12422 Conneaut Lake Rd., Conneaut Lake where you may share a memory or condolence at waidcolemanfh.com.