Catherine Purcell

Catherine E. (Pinter) Purcell, 71, of Middletown died peacefully Friday, December 22, 2017 at Newport Hospital of Newport, RI with her family by her side. Born April 2, 1946 in Chicago, IL, Cathy and her family spent numerous summers staying with her grandparents in Newport, RI. Cathy studied at the Sorbonne in Paris and volunteered in Appalachia. After she got married, she moved to California where she completed her college education at USC and raised her three children. After her children were grown, Cathy settled in the Ocean State to live in Middletown. She worked for the Preservation Society for 13 years as a guide in several of the Newport mansions. She often visited her children and grandchildren in CA and OR.Cathy was preceded in death by her parents Joseph and Jeanne (ne Hogan) Pinter. She is survived by her sons Sean (Christine Cho) of Los Angeles, CA, Kevin of Los Angeles, CA, her daughter Christine (Michael Welch) of Portland OR; her sisters Elizabeth Pinter of Chicago,IL, Joan (John) Passanante of Gurnee, IL, Sheila (Dave) Ryndak of Newport, RI, brother Charles (Maureen) Pinter of Park Ridge, IL; her grandchildren Henry Cho-Purcell, Mia Cho-Purcell and Parker Purcell, and numerous loving nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.Cathy enjoyed simple, beautiful things; walks along Ocean Drive, bodysurfing at Easton's Beach, and time with her children and grandchildren. The world lost a good heart and a gentle soul and she will be missed.A celebration of Cathy's life will be held at the Eisenhower House in Newport, RI on Saturday, January 6th from 10am-12pm, with a service beginning at 11am. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Cathy's name to the Nature Conservancy and Rhode Island PBS.