Lou Anne Cather Purnell, 93, of Clearbrook, VA, departed this life on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, after returning to her home following a brief hospitalization.

Lou Anne was born in Winchester, VA, the daughter of the late Wilbur Cather and Evelyn (Lockhart) Chrisman. She was also the stepdaughter of Ralph A. Chrisman. She was a graduate of John Handley High School, class of 1948 and graduated from the Winchester Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in 1951. In her nursing career, Lou Anne worked in many clinical settings, but she particularly enjoyed the Emergency Room and providing direct patient care. She retired twenty-eight years ago from the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Martinsburg, WV. Lou Anne was a member of the Winchester Retired Nurses Association.
Lou Anne was a lifelong member of First United Methodist Church in Winchester. She was also a member of the Winchester Elks Lodge #867. Lou Anne loved to travel and enjoyed European destinations as well as trips to the beach, especially Myrtle Beach. Travelling to casinos was not frequent but she was often lucky! She loved seeing all the wildlife in her yard and awaited the arrival of blooms on her butterfly bushes and the hummingbirds and butterflies they attracted.
She married Douglas Glenwood Purnell on August 30, 1980, at First United Methodist Church. They were quite a pair and had great fun together throughout their thirty-seven-year marriage.

Lou Anne is survived by her daughter, Kathryn Anne Philibin; sons, Gary Lee Philibin (Stacey), Donald Charles Philibin (Pamela); grandchildren, Todd Michael Philibin (Kelly), Sarah Anne Philibin Sandefur (Joe), Kelly Holbrook Adams (Tim); seven great-grandchildren; 3 great great-grandchildren and her sister, Nora Chrisman Garber.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and her sister, Nelle Chrisman Huntsberry.

A visitation will be held for Lou Anne on Thursday, January 4, 2024, at 10am with a service to follow at 11am at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel. Interment will be in Mount Hebron Cemetery following the service at 2pm.

Memorial contributions may be made in memory of Lou Anne to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148, The Salvation Army, 300 Fort Collier Rd., Winchester, VA 22603 or The American Red Cross, 561 Fortress Dr., Winchester, VA 22603