William R. Purk

William R. “Bill” Purk, age 79, of Bellefontaine, Ohio passed away at 5:57 a.m. Wednesday, March 16, 2022, at The Ohio State University East Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio.

He was born June 24, 1942, in DeGraff, Ohio, a son of the late Wilbur Ray and Pauline LaVerne (Thomas) Purk. In addition to his parents and first wife, Bill was preceded in death by a sister, Barbara A. Purk and a brother, Richard Wayne Purk.

Bill married Joyce Purk in December 1963 in Indiana and she preceded him in death March 18, 2015. On September 30, 2006, he married Debbie Purk in Bellefontaine, and she survives. He is also survived by his two children, April (Scott) Lantz and Darla (Mason Randle) Keifer; four stepsons, Alan (Roxanne) Hillard, Nathan (Nellie) Hillard, Neal (Pricilla) Hillard, and Jacob (Cara) Hillard; 11 grandchildren, Hillary (Eddie) Cowburn, Ethan Keifer, Lexi Keifer, McKay Young, Trevor Hillard, Austin Hillard, Levi Hillard, Lindsey Hillard, Sydney Hillard, Haley Elliott, Mia Elliott, Henry Hillard, Jack Hillard, and Leo Hillard; a sister, Betty L. Reames and numerous nieces and nephews.

Bill was a self-employed contractor and member of the Stony Creek Church. He was also a member of the Champaign Cruisers Car Club and Gideon’s International. Bill felt blessed to have been able to make two mission trips to Haiti in the 1980’s to help build a school.

Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 22, 2022, at the Eichholtz Daring & Sanford Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Bellefontaine, where Pastors Wayne Downing and Harold Liess will officiate the funeral service at 1:00 p.m.

A graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 26, 2022 at the Greenwood-Union Cemetery in DeGraff, Ohio.

Memorial contributions may be made to:

         Gideons International  P.O. Box 140800  Nashville, TN 37214

The staff of the Eichholtz Daring & Sanford Funeral Home & Cremation Center in Bellefontaine is honored to serve the Purk family.

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