Alice M. Purdy, age 91, a resident of Wheaton for 58 years, died October 6, 2005 at Wynscape Nursing and Rehabilitation Center where she had been a patient for a few days.

She was born December 1, 1913 in Philadelphia, the daughter of Rev. Paul McClanahan and the former Grace Smith. Her early life was spent in New Concord, Ohio, and there she graduated from Muskingum College where her mother was college librarian. After post-graduate study in Library Science at Drexel Institute in Philadelphia, Alice worked as a librarian in Rochester, New York until her marriage to H. Louis Purdy. In 1947 Mr. Purdy's work brought the couple to Wheaton.

From their first arrival in Wheaton she was a member of Gary Memorial United Methodist Church, where she enjoyed giving presentations to the adult Sunday School and participating in many church activities. In later years she was an enthusiastic volunteer at the Wesley Resale Shoppe until her failing vision made it impossible to continue.

Her knowledge of the Bible was lifelong and encyclopedic. All her life she was an eager student of science, especially geology and astronomy, of literature, and of current world and national events. When her blindness prevented her much-loved reading she continued to study using books on tape. Her mind remained acute and vivid to the last.

She is survived by her daughter Rebecca Schachter of Andover, Maine, her two grandsons John and Jacob Schachter, both of Boston, and a great-granddaughter, Lucy Schachter. She was predeceased by her husband, her brother, and her son-in-law, Gerald Schachter.

Services and interment are private.