Mary “Pat” Purcell of Gilmanton Iron Works, NH, and formerly Framingham died Sunday, June 23, 2024 at the age of 95. Born in Boston, she was the daughter of the late Patrick & Gertrude (Stynes) Flynn, and the beloved wife of the late Robert A. Purcell (Bob).
Pat grew up in Somerville, and graduated from Mount St. Joseph High School in Brighton. She went on to work as an administrative assistant. In 1951 she moved to Framingham with Bob to start and raise their family.
A loving person who always greeted people with a smile, Pat loved life and it showed. She enjoyed celebrating all events and holidays big or small. She had different themed sweaters for each holiday, and even a sweater and hat for the Kentucky Derby. Time spent well was with her family and oftentimes on Squam Lake. She liked to travel by car and by train, and was extremely knowledgeable and happy to share all she knew about regions of the US and World History. In her later years she enjoyed keeping up with events by reading her local newspaper daily, occasionally clipping stories to share with her family. She was a caregiver to both her own mother, and later her husband Bob as he battled Multiple System Atrophy, and helped care for her nephew, Kevin Doherty.
The very definition of a Matriarch, Pat is survived by her daughter, Susan Hoodlet, her son in law, Philip Wells and his wife Pam, her grandchildren, Kelly and Andrew Hross, Kevin and Shannon Wells, Brian Wells and Marielys Velez, Melissa Hoodlet and Janice Kwan, Keith and Sarah Hoodlet, and Chris Hoodlet, her great grandchildren, Matthew and Laurel Hross, Connor, Keira, Emiliana, and Harald Wells, and Sawyer and Clark Kwan-Hoodlet.
Besides her husband Robert, Pat was predeceased by her daughter Deborah Wells, nephew Kevin Doherty and her sister Barbara Defino.
Family and friends will honor and remember Pat’s life by gathering for visiting hours in the McCarthy, McKinney & Lawler Funeral Home, 11 Lincoln St. Framingham on Friday morning, June 28th from 10:30AM-12:30PM. Her private graveside services will immediately follow.
In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to: The American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org, or Mission MSA (Multiple System Atrophy), https://donate.missionmsa.org/give/562187/#!/donation/checkout.
To share a memory with Pat’s family, kindly visit www.mccarthyfh.com
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