a retired NYC Detective, died on August 29, 2006 at St. Anthony's Community Hospital. He was 80 years old. A resident of Warwick, he formerly lived in Astoria, Queens.
Born on November 28, 1925 in the Bronx, he was the son of the late Richard and Rosanna Simes Purcell.
Mr. Purcell was a Marine Veteran of WW II, and member of the American Legion in Monroe. He was the owner of Armor Security Company of Secaucus, NJ. He was a member of the DEA (Detective Endowment Association) and the 1013 National Retired Police. He was a parishioner of Holy Rosary RC Church in Greenwood Lake.
A family statement reads “He was an avid Mets fan and a staunch Republican”
He is survived by his wife Catherine Purcell (nee De Fiore); four children; eight grandchildren, and one great grand child;. one brother, Richard Purcell of Hasbrouck Heights, NJ; brother in law, Matthew De Fiore of Orlando, Florida; sister in law, Lucy Ferrara of Middletown, NY; also surviving is one nephew, Richard Purcell and his wife, Carol of Cherry Hill, NJ; three nieces: Laura Knappe and her husband Mark of Chesterfield, VA, Felicia Van Doran and her husband Edward of Goshen, and Danielle Ferrara of Middletown, as well as many other loving nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his son, Edward Purcell, and sister Madeline.
Visitation will be on Thursday, August 31, from 2-4 & 7-9 pm at Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Avenue, Warwick. Funeral service will be at 9:30 am on Friday at Holy Rosary RC Church, Greenwood Lake. Interment will follow in Moravian Cemetery, Staten Island.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, NY Chapter, 2 Jefferson Plaza Ste. 203, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601-4027