Doris Ruth Purvis Tift of Tifton died Monday, September 12, 2011, at Tift Regional Medical Center. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 15, 2011, at Saint Anne’s Episcopal Church. Father Lonnie Lacy will officiate and Rev. Jake Sumner will give a eulogy with burial to follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Roy Renew, Bobby Thomas, Amos Tift, Pete Renew, Joe McSpadden, Worth Bowers and Lee Davis will serve as pallbearers. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, September 14, 2011, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Ms. Tift was born on October 16, 1921 in Terrell County and was the daughter of William Flournoy Purvis and Estelle Thomas Purvis, both deceased. She was also preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, Amos Chapman “Bud” Tift, Jr. and nine brothers and sisters. She was a curator for the Tift-Willingham House at the Georgia Agrirama for many years and a member of Saint Anne’s Episcopal Church.
Mrs. Tift is survived by one sister, Nita Ivey of San Antonio, Texas; two sons and one daughter-in-law, Chappie and Serita Tift of Tifton and Homer Tift of Nashville; two daughters and one son-in-law, Joyce Davis of Alpharetta and Telie and Dale Sumner of Tifton; seven grandchildren, Cindy White, Lee Davis, Ashley Bowers, Amos Tift, Dori Swilley, Jake Sumner and Tee McSpadden; eleven great-grandchildren, Courtney White, Christi White, Caroline White, Ellie Bowers, Emma Bowers, Dakota Tift, Jordan Tift, Keagan Swilley, Mavis Sumner, Camille Sumner and Zoey McSpadden; one great-great grandchild, Carson Denison; two nieces, Jeannie Renew and Pam Ivey; and three nephews, Bobbie Thomas, Bob Ivey and Roy Renew.
Flowers will be accepted or memorial gifts may be made to Saint Anne’s Episcopal Church, 2411 North Central Avenue, Tifton, GA 31794 or the Alzheimer's Association, P. O. Box 96011, Washington, D.C. 20090-6011.