Condolences: Gail Purtan
• The matriarch of “Purtan’s People” is gone — Gail Purtan, who was married to Detroit radio legend Dick Purtan for 60 years, and is the mother of the couple’s six beautiful daughters — Jennifer, Jackie, Jessica, JoAnn, Jill and Julie — died Wednesday morning after years of battling a variety of serious health issues. She was 80 years old.
Jackie Purtan shared the sad news of her mother’s passing on Dick Purtan’s Official Facebook page, posting, “It is with profound sadness that I share with you some heartbreaking news. After 80 beautiful years, our most incredible wife and mother passed away this morning. To say she was the kindest, most loving and strongest woman we’ve ever known would be an understatement. But after more than 20 years of battling cancer, diabetes, chronic pain and a myriad of health issues, her body was simply tired. We’re devastated — but know in our hearts that we were blessed to have her for as long as we did.”
Jackie also posted an amazing love letter her father had written to Gail last December on the occasion of their milestone 60th wedding anniversary. We strongly urge you to take the time to read it — you will be as emotionally moved as we were.
• Visitation for Gail Purtan will be held on Friday, November 2 at the McCabe Funeral Home, 31950 W. 12 Mile Rd, Farmington Hills, MI. Funeral services will be held Saturday, Nov. 3 at 11am at Franklin Community Church, 26425 Wellington Rd., Franklin, MI. Donations can be made in Gail Purtan’s name to the Purtan Family Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation. [Special thanks, as always, to “Radio’s Best Friend,” Art Vuolo]
