Lifelong Door County resident Frieda E. Purinton, 95 years, of Sturgeon Bay, passed away Sunday (April 22, 2012) at the Skilled Nursing Facility of Door County Memorial Hospital where she had resided for the past two years.

Frieda was one of eight children, born February 26, 1917 in Sister Bay, the daughter of the late Richard and Emma Kalms whose farm was located on Old Stage Road. Following her graduating from Gibraltar High School in 1937 she graduated from Colombia School of Nursing in Milwaukee and worked for Door County Memorial Hospital where she met her future husband Harry Purinton a hospital patient. They married on June 2, 1945 and soon afterward made their home on Sturgeon Bay’s Memorial Drive, overlooking the bay. Harry preceded her in death on April 7, 1989.

Frieda was an active member of Bay View Lutheran Church where she sang in the church choir and was a member of several women’s Bible groups, participated in the World Day of Prayer and served on various church boards. She thought often of others and for years regularly visited friends in area care facilities. She grew flowers, tended her garden and enjoyed exhibiting produce, preserves and floral arrangements at the County Fair. She was an active volunteer at the Miller Art Center, and participated at the Door County Maritime Museum and the Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club Sail Training Foundation. She was always supportive of her family’s activities, and she loved traveling.

Besides her parents and husband Harry, one brother, Walter Kalms, and five sisters, Viola Bittorf, Esther Langoehr, Hilda Miller, Martha Utech, and Leona Heling, and granddaughter Emma Bacon preceded her in death.

Survivors include her four children, Helen Bacon of Sturgeon Bay, James (Christine) Purinton of Chicago, Richard (Mary Jo) Purinton of Washington Island, Martha Bennett of Sturgeon Bay; sister, Mabel (Harold) Knudson of Sturgeon Bay; eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and many dear nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, her family requests that memorials be made to Bay View Lutheran Church or the Sail Training Foundation.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 28 at 11:00 a.m. at Bay View Lutheran Church in Sturgeon Bay with Rev. Tim Malek officiating. Burial will be at Bayside Cemetery.

Friends may call at the church on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services at 11:00 a.m.

A special thanks to the staff of Pine Crest and the Skilled Nursing Facility at Ministry Door County Medical Center for the kind and compassionate care extended to our mother.

Huehns Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Sign online guestbook and offer condolences at www.huehnsfuneralhome.com