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Jenifer Lesley Purchase (nee Nixon)

February 4, 2020

H1T2I3J5-20200218114941
November 3, 1938 - February 4, 2020
Sadly, following a brief and sudden illness, Jenifer Purchase passed away with grace and dignity with family by her side at Penticton Regional Hospital on February 4, 2020.
Jen will be fondly remembered by her many friends within the Summerland community as well as Kelowna, Kamloops, BC, the Lower Mainland, USA, and South Africa. She leaves behind her son Kim (Susan) Purchase of Langley, BC; grandchildren Lauren Purchase (Sam) and Drew Purchase of Revelstoke, Megan and Matthew Purchase each of Surrey and Langley, BC; eldest brother Graham (Moira) Nixon of Ladner, BC and younger brother Alan (Cathy) Nixon of Nanaimo; and brother-in-law Alex Bird of Sechelt, BC. She will also be greatly missed by her twenty nieces and nephews, their spouses, and many cousins in BC and abroad. Jen was predeceased by her husband (Derek) of nearly sixty years; eldest son James 'Jim' Purchase; baby sister Gillian Bird; and parents Ted and Sybil Nixon.
Jen lived a full life from the time she immigrated to Canada with her family from South Africa as a teenager. Later, becoming a young married mother of two little boys, she returned to South Africa to live once again for a number of years. The family traveled extensively throughout the country before returning to Canada and eventually settling in North Vancouver and Kamloops. The couple moved onwards to Kelowna and finally retired in Summerland later in their lives. Jen enjoyed travelling together with her husband and visited countless communities in BC, Alberta, Ontario, PEI, Nova Scotia, England, Scotland multiple times, Maui too many times to count, and South Africa with regularity. Just this past October she was able to enjoy a final trip to Maui with her family which has left lasting memories with her son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren.
Reflections and condolences have come from far and wide commenting on Jen's feistiness, zest for life, passion for gardening (flowers) no matter how small or large her plot of land was, appreciation for classical orchestral music, and endless appetite to read. She was well known in their local library where she routinely checked out several books each and every week throughout her days in Summerland. She also had a life long fascination with the weather and, having admitted in her latter days of having thrived in her meteorological studies at UBC, was always able to predict, with accuracy, weather patterns, storms, and barometric shifts by smelling the air and feeling it in her bones. Little known to many, she immensely enjoyed sitting and assembling jigsaw puzzles and spent many hours doing so with great pride.
Jen's love of life and people touched the lives of so many. Her sudden departure has been widely felt and comforted only in the knowledge that she is at peace; her spirit will live on in God's hands and the journey she travels now will be with those who left before us.
A private gathering of family and friends will take place to honour and remember Jen at a later date in Summerland. Memorial donations would be welcomed and may be made to BC Cancer Foundation, Heart & Stroke Foundation or Penticton Regional Hospital.
The family wishes to acknowledge and thank each of the very dedicated and professional staff at PRH for their care of Jen during her short stay. They were numerous and amazing in their commitment, compassion, and endless support to both her and the family. Thank you.
Condolences may be directed to the family through providencefuneralhomes.com 250-494-7752.
 Providence Funeral Homes & Crematorium


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