St. George, Utah - Ruby Eileen Ireland Purdy, 90, passed away on April 18, 2017, in St. George, Utah. She was born September 30, 1926, in Riverside, California, as the only child of Jesse Ray Ireland and Ruby Iris Wiggins. She grew up in the Los Angeles area, attending Glenfeliz Elementary School, Washington Irving Junior High School, and graduating from John Marshall High School.

Eileen met her future husband, Vernon Raymond Purdy, when she was very young and married him on June 26, 1943, shortly before he left for U.S. Army service in the South Pacific. She was 16; he was 19. Then followed the births of three daughters: LaVern "Vernie", Kristine "Kris" and Loretta "Lorrie".

Like their parents, the girls attended Glenfeliz Elementary School where Eileen was very active in PTA. Vernon worked as a draftsman and then salesman for a heavy equipment company. In 1957, the family moved to Arrowbear , California, in the San Bernardino Mountains near Running Springs, where both Vernon and Eileen joined her parents in the family owned and operated Deer Lick Lumber Company. She became the paint expert and bookkeeper, and for a time, was a real estate salesperson. Both Eileen and Vernon were active in community groups. For several years she wrote a column for the local newspaper.

Eileen was a talented seamstress who made most of the girls' clothes when they were little. Later, she developed her artistic skills through tole painting. She joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1993 and was sealed to her family in 1994 after Vernon passed away in 1989.

She lived in her Arrowbear home for 50 years until living alone was no longer a safe option. In 2009, she moved to Beehive Cottages in St. George, Utah. She spent her final years in a Beehive Assisted Living Home there.

Eileen is survived by daughters: LaVern (Ewald) Burmeister, Kristine (Michael) Scullin, and Loretta (Michael) Eckerdt. She leaves 11 living grandchildren (Two preceded her in death.), and 28 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held in San Bernardino, California on Monday, May 1, 2017 at 11:00 am, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Stake Center located at 3860 North Waterman Ave. Interment will be private.

Eileen had a compassionate heart for supporting worthy causes. For this reason the family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be sent to charities or organizations of individual choice.