Rosella D. (Donahue) Purcell

Rosella Marie (Donahue) Purcell, 103, cherished wife of 66 years to the late James L. Purcell Jr. entered Eternal Life on July 13, 2023. Rosella was born in Litchfield, CT to the late Jeffrey and Rose (Morgan) Donahue. She moved with her family, at a young age, to Danbury, where she married, raised her family, and spent most of her adult life until retiring, with her late husband, to Heritage Village, Southbury.

Rosella attended St. Peter’s School and graduated from Danbury High School. She was a Registered Nurse, graduating from the St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing in Hartford, where she worked until serving in the U.S. Army as a Nurse 2nd Lieutenant near the end of World War II and for a short time afterwards. Following her military service, she returned to Danbury and was a private duty nurse where she met her future husband, Jim, while nursing his mother in the family home. Rosella became a stay-at-home mom/homemaker, to raise their three children. She returned to nursing when the children were older, completing her nursing career as a charge nurse, working for many years at Glen Hill Convalescent Center.

Rosella enjoyed spending time with her many dear friends, shopping, playing golf, card games and dining out. Her greatest joy was spending time with family; babysitting or attending school and sporting events for her grandchildren, family vacations in Rhode Island, travel with her husband and friends and many other activities. She was a past member of the Heritage Village American Legion Post, was active in the Ladies Guild of St. Joseph Church in Danbury and was a parishioner of Sacred Heart Church in Southbury.

Rosella is survived by her son, James L. Purcell III of Brookfield, her daughter Rosemary (Jim) Abdella of Voluntown, her four grandchildren: Leandra (Mike) Pellegrino, James (Kirsten) Abdella Jr., Erin (Greg) Demerjian, Regina (Steve) French and her 5 great grandchildren; Bryce and Emily Pellegrino, Madelyn and Gregory Demerjian and Ella Rose French. Her brother Jeffrey (Barbara) Donahue also survives her as well as many nieces and nephews. Along with her husband and parents, she was predeceased by her son John Morgan Purcell, her brothers John (Doris) Donohue and the Rev. Joseph P. Donahue, and her in-laws James L. (Manta) Purcell Sr. and Thomas (Rita) Purcell.

The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the dedicated Nurses, CNAs, Recreation, and other staff at River Glen Health Care Center in Southbury for their caring, compassionate, and professional care of Rosella during her four years in residence there, especially during the COVID crisis. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, July 31st at 10:00 AM in Sacred Heart Church, 910 Main Street South, Southbury, CT. Burial will follow in the family plot in St. Peter’s Cemetery in Danbury. As per Rosella’s wishes there are no calling hours. Carpino Funeral Home is honored to have been entrusted with Rosella's care and final arrangements. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to either the Catholic War Veterans Post 1042, Scholarship Awards Program; 2 Shalvoys Lane, Danbury, CT 06810 or to the Heritage Village Ambulance Association; P.O. Box 2045, Southbury, CT 06488.

A livestream of the Mass of Christian Burial will be available by clicking here.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Rosella D. (Donahue) Purcell, please visit our floral store.