Alice Denning Puryear

Mrs. Alice Denning Puryear died on May 8, 2010 at the age of 96. Mrs. Puryear was born in Gallatin, Tennessee, the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. A.O. Denning. She was the widow of Major General R.W. Puryear, a former commander of Keesler Technical Training Center from 1964-1967. She received her education at Nazareth Academy of Bardstown, KY and Ward Belmont of Nashville, TN. Mrs. Puryear was a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church of Ocean Springs and had served on boards of the Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra, Gulf Coast Arts Council, and the Gulf Coast Community Concert Association. She was also a member of the Colonial Dames XVII Century, Daughters of the American Colonists, Beach Garden Society and the Gray Ladies of the American Red Cross. Mrs. Puryear is survived by her daughter, Susan and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. David Mumme of Houston, Texas, two sons, R.W. Puryear, Jr. of Ocean Springs, Mississippi and Armistead D. Puryear and wife Julie of Tiburon, California; sister Mrs. Leo P. Dahl of Montgomery, Alabama, three grandsons, Jonathan and Samuel Mumme and Nicholas Puryear, two granddaughters-in-law, Jennifer Mumme and Stephanie Mumme, four great grandsons, Noah, Caden, Everett, and Levi, and one great granddaughter, Caya. A prayer service will be held on Saturday, May 15 at 1:00 pm at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Ocean Springs; the family will receive visitors from 12 Noon ~ 1 pm. An Episcopal gravesite service will be at Arlington National Cemetery on June 9, 2010 at 1:00 pm. The family prefers memorial donations to be made to the American Diabetes Association. Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home, Ocean Springs is in charge of arrangements.