Pictured from left:
Top row: Seth (grandson) and Joell Purcell, Randy Purcell (son), Brenda Purcell
Second row: Kim and Nathan (grandson) Purcell, (who is holding Emery, a great-granddaughter), Jean, Lea Purcell (granddaughter).

WINONA LAKE — Jean Purcell, formerly of Milford, is celebrating her 100th birthday on Monday, July 8. She was born in 1919.

She currently resides at Grace Village in Winona Lake.

She was born Jean Christiansen in Chicago, Ill. 

She married Lester Purcell in Chicago on Aug. 13, 1941. They moved to Milford when Da-Lite Screen closed their Chicago plant. Lester passed away in 1974.

Lester and Jean had one son, Randy, who lives in Guatemala with his wife, Brenda, and works as a missionary.

In her younger days, Jean was in a band and played both guitar and banjo. According to her close friend, Barb Bice, Jean loves to shop and go out to eat. 

Jean has three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

A birthday party was held Saturday, July 6, with friends and family from Michigan, Illinois and even Guatemala in attendance.