Obituary of Ben Alice Purdom

Ben Alice Taylor Purdom of Harrodsburg, KY, widow of Edgar Norvell Purdom, died August 28, 2012, at Kingsbrook LifeCare Center in Ashland, KY, after a long illness. Born June 2, 1924, in Trinity, Texas, she was the daughter of the late Benjamin Earl Taylor and Elizabeth Olive Bayne Taylor, of Huntsville, TX. She was valedictorian of her class at Huntsville (TX) High School and Sam Houston University, where she was President of the student body and received the Pennebaker Award, for study at Pueblo University in Pueblo, Mexico. Active in many Harrodsburg civic organizations, she was President of the Harrodsburg Woman’s Club and the PTA of the Harrodsburg Schools; a member of the Jane McAfee chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Harrodsburg Historical Society, the James Harrod Trust, the Friends of Shakertown, the Harrodsburg and Mercer County Public Library boards, the Harrodsburg chapter of the American Cancer Society, and the Harrodsburg chapter of the March of Dimes. She was an active member of the Harrodsburg United Methodist Church, where she sang in the choir for over 50 years, taught a Sunday School class for many years and served on the Administrative Board. Following her retirement from the Farmers Home Administration of the United States Department of Agriculture, she worked as a volunteer in the genealogy records library of the Harrodsburg Historical Society, traveled extensively abroad, attended many educational seminars of Elderhostel International, Inc., and worked actively to secure passage of legislation for permanent funding of the Mercer County Public Library. Surviving are two sons, Edgar Norvell Purdom, Jr. (Ann), of Louisa, KY and William Benjamin Purdom, of Apopka, FL; a daughter, Peggy Purdom (Charles) Patterson of Bloomfield, KY; a brother, Alford Inman (Ivy) Taylor of La Grange, TX; six grandchildren, Kelley Patterson Woods (Gregory) of Campbellsburg, KY; David Michael Patterson (Ashley) of Lawrenceburg, KY; Shelby Anne Patterson, of Hermitage, TN; Edgar Norvell Purdom, III, of Lexington, KY; Taylor Shepherd Purdom of Lexington, KY; and, Elizabeth Lauren Purdom, of Apopka, FL; as well as four great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by four sisters, Olive Earla Taylor Cochrum, Edna May Taylor Pohlman, Eva Jeanette Taylor Everett, and Elizabeth Taylor Woods; and, two brothers, Mark Taylor and Earl Bayne Taylor. Visitation will be conducted at Ransdell Funeral Chapel, 345 E. Lexington Street. Harrodsburg on Thursday, August 30, 2012, from 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.[and at the church one hour before the funeral]. Funeral services will be conducted on Friday, August 31, 2012, at 11:00 a.m., at the Harrodsburg United Methodist Church, 128 S. Chiles Street, by Rev. E. Garland Hawkins and Rev. Jimmy Owens. Burial will be in Springhill Cemetery, Harrodsburg. Casket bearers are David M. Patterson, Edgar N. Purdom, III, Taylor S. Purdom, William Patrick Hatchett, Jack McGee and Dean Peak. In lieu of flowers, contributions are suggested to the Mercer County Public Library, 109 West Lexington Street, Harrodsburg, KY 40330 or the Harrodsburg United Methodist Church, 120 South Chiles Street, Harrodsburg, KY 40330.