ALBANY — Sara Virginia Ware Purvis, longtime resident of Albany, died on Thursday, February 21. She was 97 years old. The funeral service was held on Tuesday, February 26 at 2 PM in the chapel of Kimbrell-Stern Funeral Directors. Interment followed at Riverside Cemetery. Officiating was Rev. Carrie Myers of First United Methodist Church. Sara was the youngest child and only daughter born to Lillie Louella Boyett Ware and Jesse Edward Ware of Cuthbert, Ga. Born in 1915, she lived a privileged life as a young child, loved and doted on by her older brothers and parents. She liked nothing more than accompanying her father as he traveled around the Randolph County area checking on property holdings and overseeing the care of the mules and horses at his livery stable. Her father taught her an appreciation of the countryside, the various trees and animals…. particularly horses. Those childhood experiences led to a lifetime love of gardening, outdoor activities and pets. She often spoke of her beloved pony that she had as a child and how she tagged along with her brothers as they rode…. much to their chagrin. At her mother’s insistence, she reluctantly endured piano lessons, but did not enjoy being cooped up inside for the duration of the lesson. She attended schools in Cuthbert, and entered Andrew College when it was still an all girls school. Sara came to Albany in the late 1930s, and enjoyed several jobs as a book keeper. She met her husband of 62 years, the late Joseph F. Purvis, in Albany. They married on July 4, 1942, just prior to Joe leaving for Europe with the U.S. Army. Always patriotic and proud to be Americans and they enjoyed activities in Albany surrounding our national holidays. In 1942 and 1943, she worked at Turner Field. Sara loved working with numbers and continued to work as a book keeper after the war ended. She particularly enjoyed working at First State Bank and Mauldin & Jenkins. Never one to waste time, even in her seventies and eighties she enjoyed working in the Medical Records Dept. as an employee of Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. She and Joe had many friends in Albany of all ages and stations in life who enjoyed their friendship. In addition, they made many friends in other parts of the United States and overseas as they traveled. Central to their life was First Baptist Church of Albany and varied church activities during the many years when First Baptist was located on it’s beautifully sited and appropriate place at the corner of Jefferson St. and Pine St. Having joined First Baptist after moving to Albany originally, she and her husband attended FBC for many decades. She was a devoted fan of the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team. She and Joe attended all home games for more than 20 years, as well as following the Dogs to several bowl games and other Bulldog activities. She leaves behind many friends in a special group who shared the excitement and fun of those weekends “between the hedges”. Sara was preceded in death by her husband, Joe, as well as her parents and brothers. Surviving is her daughter and only child, Julie Virginia Purvis Montgomery of Atlanta, along with an adoring and precious little dog – Sasha. Also surviving are relatives Lester Ware, Jr. and Carolyn Whaley of Cuthbert. Sara was very proud to be a godparent to Karen Reddish Jackson of Newnan, GA and Lindsay Reddish of Athens, GA, both formerly of Albany. She loved Julie’s extended family in Atlanta, Brenda and Leanza Gilbert-Dumas. She cheerfully endured the times when Julie visited and brought along her motley collection of five rescue dogs. The family is grateful for the love and longtime friendship of very special friends, John Harold and Ted Harold, the late Beatrice Lockett and Benny Lockett, Calvin Dunnaway and Marie Jones, all of Albany. In the last year of Sara’s life she was loving tended to by a rotating group of kind and wonderful ladies…..Vernida Williams, Shernita Colley, Isha Williams, Rosa Hillson, Annie Simms and Darlene Clark. Also, special thanks are extended to Albany Community Hospice for their continuing interest and concern. Those so desiring may make a gift in Sara’s memory to The Albany Humane Society or their favorite charity. Kimbrell-Stern Funeral Directors Albany 229/883-4152

Source:  Genealogy Bank