Sirkka Liisa Purkey

No services will be held for Sirkka Purkey, 71, of North Bend.

Sirkka Liisa Purkey was born on October 31, 1953 in Kauhajoki, Finland to Aarre and Kerttu (Saarinen) Viitanen as the youngest of their three daughters. She died at home on November 13, 2024 of cancer in North Bend surrounded by her loving family.

Her father was a gunsmith and her mother owned a clothing store. When growing up, Sirkka helped her mother at the store. She was a graduate of Kauhajoki High School and Vaasa University. After finishing college,Sirkka moved to England to join the non-profit literature arm of an international interdenominational mission organization called Operation Mobilization. Sirkka worked in the wholesale side where Christian books were shipped to over a hundred countries.

During that time she met her future husband, John Purkey who had arrived from Oregon to work for the same organization. John managed a Christian bookstore in South East London. John and Sirkka were married on Midsummer’s Eve 1976 in Kauhajoki, Finland. After the birth of their first child John and Sirkka returned to Oregon, settling in North Bend in 1980 where two more children were born to them.

A devout Christian, Sirkka over the years was active in local churches such as North Bend First Presbyterian Church, Hauser Community Church, and for the past 17 years Shoreline Community Church, as well as volunteering for The Salvation Army. An avid reader of non-fiction, she was very involved with Friends of the Library groups. With the internet erasing geographical challenges, and her deep interest in historical research she continued her engagement with her hometown of Kauhajoki, Finland by becoming an administrator of a group with a focus on local history through old photographs.

For the last three years of her life she spent the majority of time at her daughter’s home in North Carolina where she also made many close friends.

Sirkka is survived by her husband of 48 years, three children and their families, and one sister and her family.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Sirkka’s memory can be made to Shoreline Community Church Missions, or Friends of the North Bend Public Library.

Arrangements are under the care of Coos Bay Chapel, 541-267-3131 www.coosbayareafunerals.com

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