Purtell, Phyllis Ann Faley

Phyllis Ann Faley Purtell, 71, of Marion, died Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha. Funeral Mass: 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 24, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Marion. Family will greet friends from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Center in Marion and one hour before services Monday at the church. Graveside committal: 2:30 p.m. Monday, Mount Calvary Cemetery Chapel, Dubuque.

Survivors include her husband, James; children, Michael (Stephanie) Purtell of Maple Valley, Wash., Ellen (William) Spencer of Dubuque, and John (Jennifer) Purtell of Spokane, Wash.; seven grandchildren; and siblings, Howard (Dorothy) Faley of Freeport, Ill., Jack (Kay) Faley of Placentia, Calif., and Wayne (Mary) Faley of Oceanside, Calif.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and a sister, Eileen Schilling.

Phyllis was born May 17, 1939, in Dubuque, Iowa, the daughter of proud Irish parents, Mike and Marcella (McClain) Faley. She attended the Visitation Academy and graduated from Clarke College, both in Dubuque. She then received her master's degree in library science from the University of Northern Colorado. On June 15, 1963, Phyllis was united in marriage to James E. Purtell at the Nativity Parish in Dubuque. She worked as an elementary teacher and school librarian for 34 years in the Marion Independent School District.

Upon her retirement, she and Jim moved to Door County, Wis., where she displayed her creative talents through watercolor painting and decorating.

Special thanks to Dr. Wiesenfeld, Oncology Associates (especially Lori, Marsha and Nicole) and Mercy Hospice (especially Tracy and Annette).

Please sign the online guest book for Phyllis at  under obituaries.