Obituary of Thomas Purcell

Thomas E. Purcell, Jr. passed away after a short illness at the Woodbriar of Wilmington Nursing Facility in Wilmington, MA on Friday morning, August 16, 2013. He was 80 years old. Tom was born in Medford, the son of the late Thomas and Catherine Purcell. He grew up and was educated in Medford and was a graduate of the Medford Vocational School. He served in the Army as a Corporal during the Korean War. Tom was an extremely talented carpenter with an incredible work ethic. During nights and on the weekends he would work on his own to provide extra money for his children’s sports and other activities. Tom considered himself to be very successful. It was not for his wealth or possessions, but for raising a family with strong values, work ethic and character. His children saw how hard he worked to provide for them. They saw how to take responsibility for your actions and be fair to everyone. They saw how to give of yourself without expectations of rewards, rather “it is simply the right thing to do!” Tom believed that if one can be a loving and concerned spouse, parent, and role model, then your life was lived well, with a purpose, and successfully. Tom was always on the move. He never had just a 40-hour work week. He found time to volunteer as a coach and patron of the Burlington Baseball and Softball Association and Hockey Association. He loved watching, encouraging and supporting his children in their many sports and activities as they grew up. He enjoyed art and sketching. He took great pride in maintaining his home and yard. He shared time with his late wife June walking Horn Pond, going out to eat, day trips, and vacations centered around visiting family. He had an extremely strong Catholic faith and enjoyed going to daily mass at St. Barbara’s Church. It was this strong faith that helped him to accept the inevitable outcome of his illness and look forward to the day he would be reunited with his loving wife, June. Tom was the loving husband of the late June (Lowry) Purcell. He was the loving father of Kenneth Purcell of Atlantic Beach, FL, Kevin Purcell & his wife Karen of South Dennis, Keith Purcell & his wife Sai of Austin, TX and Karen Wilson & her husband William of Chattanooga, TN. He was the father-in-law of Nancy Purcell of Ponte Vedra Beach FL and brother of Helen Purcell of Hingham and the late Marie Purcell. He was the proud grandfather of Michael, Jennifer, Katherine, Nick, and Matthew Purcell, Meghan and Cason Wilson and the late Amy Purcell. Funeral from the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (Exit 34 off Rt. 128, Woburn side) on Tuesday, Aug. 20 at 9 a.m. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Barbara Church, 138 Cambridge Road, Woburn at 10 a.m. Visiting hours Monday 4-8 p.m. Interment in Chestnut Hill Cemetery, Burlington. Memorials in Tom’s name may be made to Burlington Baseball and Softball Association, P.O. Box 871, Burlington, MA 01803 For directions, obituary & online guestbook see www.sullivanfuneralhome.net