Floreine Purvis

Floreine Applegate Purvis, 91, passed away Saturday, June 20, 2015, at Windsor Place in Iola.
She was born June 16, 1924, in Kanopolis, the daughter of Orville Holly and Hazel Lucille (King) Gilkison.
The family later moved from Kanopolis to Hartford and Floreine graduated from Strawn High School.
On July 30, 1942, Floreine and Carroll Paxson were married. They became the parents of a daughter, Carolyn Jo. Floreine worked in Emporia while Carroll was in the service. They were later divorced.
She then was married to Wayne Applegate. They became the parents of five children, Ron, Larry, Norma, Jay, and Mark. Floreine was a farm wife and later was employed in the Coffey County Clerk’s Office for Cecil O’Connor. She then served as the first Coffey County Treasurer in the new courthouse. She and Wayne were divorced.
Floreine was then married to Fred Purvis. They made their home in Columbus where Floreine was employed as a driver’s license examiner for the State of Kansas. They retired and moved to Lampe, Mo., on Table Rock Lake, where they enjoyed woodworking and operated a booth at Silver Dollar City.
Fred preceded her in death on April 7, 1996. Floreine moved back to Columbus until moving to Iola to be near family.
She was also preceded in death by a granddaughter, Valarie Ann Applegate; her sister, Gerry Griffin; two brothers, Orville and Bill Gilkison; and her special friend, Elsie Perry.
Floreine leaves her children, Carolyn Jo Ply and husband Larry, Harrison, Ark., Ron Applegate and wife Elizabeth, Kilgore, Texas, Larry Applegate and wife Linda, Granbury, Texas, Norma Williams and husband George, Wichita, Jay Applegate and wife Debbie, Le Roy, and Mark Applegate and wife Mindy, Montezuma; 13 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Barbara Gilkison, Emporia; several nieces and nephews; many other relatives and friends.
Floreine enjoyed baking, gardening, making quilts and afghans and a good garage sale. But most of all she enjoyed her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, at Jones Funeral Home in Burlington. The family will meet with friends from 6 to 7 p.m., Wednesday at the funeral home. Graveside services will be held at 2:30 p.m.,Thursday at Oakwood Cemetery in Baldwin.
Memorial contributions may be made to Allen County Regional Hospice or Second Chance Animal Rescue of Iola and may be sent in care of the funeral home. The family expresses its thanks for the wonderful care given to their mother by Windsor Place and Allen County Hospice.