Marilyn Purvis Mizell, 79 of Arcadia, Florida passed away at Shands Teaching Hospital, Gainesville, Florida on Saturday, January 16, 2010, after a long battle with leukemia. She had been a leukemia survivor since 1974. Marilyn was born in Arcadia, Florida, July 24th, 1930, to Erma (Richardson) and Lewis Edward Purvis, Sr., both deceased. She is a fourth generation DeSoto County resident with local roots dating to 1895. Marilyn has one son, John Edward Mizell, daughter-in-law, Lisa and two grandchildren Amie Danielle Mizell and Thomas Purvis Mizell who live in Gainesville, Florida. Marilyn, a lifelong resident of DeSoto County, attended Trinity United Methodist Church Preschool, first grade at the Florida Baptist Children s Orphanage, West Elementary School, and DeSoto High School where she graduated as salutatorian of her class in 1948. Marilyn was an accomplished woman and after graduating from DeSoto High School, she received a bachelor s degree from Stetson University where she was president of Stetson s Women s Student Government, President of Phi Mu Women s Fraternity, Secretary of the Baptist Student Union, and a member of Pi Kappa Phi Honorary Society. She went on to earn two advanced degrees a Masters in Speech Pathology, and a Specialist Degree in Curriculum and Instruction, both from the University of Florida. She was accepted to the Doctoral Program in Education but declined admission in order to focus on her commitment of service to the education of Desoto County s special needs children. Marilyn began teaching in 1953 with elementary grades and speech therapy prior to becoming coordinator of a multi-district cooperative in special education. She is one of the pioneers for special education in small and rural districts in the State of Florida. Her determination to serve the needs of exceptional students in DeSoto County lead to her position as administrator of special programs from 1967 until her retirement with 40 years of service in June of 1996. She has always been active in state and local organizations including the State of Florida Exceptional Student Education Advisory Committee where she served as vice-chairman, American Speech and Hearing Association, Florida Speech and Hearing Association, and Delta Kappa Gamma Society. She has served as President of the Multi-County Teachers Association and President of the Junior Women s Club of Arcadia. Since her retirement, she was active in the Desoto County Historical Society serving as a board member and chairman of the museum committee. She has served in multiple positions of the DAR, including regent until the current year. She was a member of the 20th Century Literary Club and the Phi Mu Alumni Association. Marilyn attended First Baptist Church of Arcadia for over 70 years after having accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior at the age of eight. She served as a choir member, piano player, Sunday school teacher, and assisted with Bible School. She was chairman of the Church Historical Committee, and was instrumental, after twenty years of research in identifying the unmarked gravesites of deceased children from the Florida Baptist Children s Home. Marilyn was predeceased by her parents, Lewis E. and Erma R. Purvis and brother, Lewis Edward Purvis, Jr. She is survived by her son, John E. Mizell (Lisa) and two grandchildren, Amie Danielle Mizell and Thomas Purvis Mizell; sister, Ann Purvis Dykes (Walter); niece, Stephanie Dykes Brooks (Roy)and their children ; nephew, Edmund Dykes (Rhonda) and their children ; cousins, Juanita and John Gantzer of Arcadia; Lenora Gray (George-deceased) of Arcadia, Charles Richardson (Joan) of Deland, Florida; Gordon Richardson (Shirley) of Atlanta, GA; and Wayne Smith of Columbia, SC. Friends will be received from 6-8pm Saturday, January 23rd at Ponger-Kays-Grady Funeral Home, 50 N. Hillsborough Ave., Arcadia. Funeral Services will be held at First Baptist Church of Arcadia, Sunday, January 24th at 2pm. Interment will take place at Mt. Ephraim Baptist Church Cemetery. Online condolences can be made at pongerkaysgrady.com The family requests donations to be made to: The Florida Baptist Children s Home, 2300 Bartram Road, Jacksonville, FL 32207 Attn: Luanne Miller. Ponger-Kays-Grady Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.