Obituary of Claudia Owen Puryear

Claudia Owen Puryear, age 82 of Gallatin, passed away Tuesday, December 22, 2015. Visitation will be Sunday December 27th from 1:00-5:00 p.m. at Family Heritage Funeral Home, 100 Albert Gallatin Avenue, Gallatin, Tennessee. Funeral Mass will be Monday, December 28th at 12:00 Noon at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 449 North Water Avenue, Gallatin, TN with Fr. Stephen Gideon celebrating. Claudia Owen was born June 5, 1933 in Covington, TN, daughter of the late Hays E. Owen and Lina Long Owen, granddaughter of Judge and Mrs. William Alexander Owen. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, William P. Puryear III of Gallatin, TN; children, William Owen Puryear (Cheryl) of Gallatin, David Reynolds Puryear (Robin) of Nashville, Lina Puryear Marler (Jim) of Gallatin, John Alfred Puryear (Laura) of Gallatin and Daniel Hays Puryear (Sarah) of Nashville; grandchildren, Pierce Weber, Kate Puryear, Ellen Weber, Caroline Marler, Claire Marler, Erin Puryear, John Christian Puryear, Hayden Puryear, Grace Puryear, George Weber, James Puryear, Sara Puryear, Anna Puryear, and Hays Puryear; and great grandson, Luke Brown. Claudia is also survived by her brother Eugene Owen (Barbara) of Baton Rouge, LA. Claudia Graduated from Byars-Hall High School in Covington and Southwestern (Rhodes) College and was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority. She was President of her High School’s Senior Class, and Homecoming Queen at Southwestern. She was a member of St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Gallatin; The College Women’s Study Club and was a Youth Sunday School Teacher. She loved gardening, music and art. She was instrumental in the formation of The Gallatin Day Care Center, Sumner Academy and Pope John Paul II High School, where the School Library bears her name. Claudia was a warm-hearted, cultured Southern lady who always put the welfare of others ahead of her own. Her primary interest lay in her family and in the welfare of others, especially the poor and those less fortunate than herself. Her contributions went over the world through Christian Childrens’ Fund and other worldwide agencies. Active Pallbearers: her four sons, Bill, David, John, Dan, her son-in-law, Capt. James Marler, USN (Ret) and grandson, Pierce Weber. Honorary Pallbearers: Hobart Grooms, Jim Hamilton, Drew Maddux, Jack Masters, Bob Morgan, Tom Neal, David Owen, Judge George Paine, Allen Parks, Judge Henry Wilhoit and David Wright. Memorials may be directed to St. John Vianney Catholic Church, St. Jude Children’s Hospital or charity of donor’s choice. Online condolences may be submitted at familyheritagefh.com. Family Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.