Helen Elizabeth Purkitt

As the daughter of a career military man, Helen was born on March 5, 1950 in Germany. Shortly thereafter, she and her family moved to the Southern California neighborhood of Santa Monica where she attended high school and eventually moved on to receive her B.A, M.A, and Ph.D. from the University of Southern California. At USC, she also maintained a position as Grad Research Assistant from 1972-1977. At Texas Tech University, Helen became an Assistant Professor in the IR Grad Program from 1977-1979. Dr. Purkitt spent the majority of her career as a professor of Political Science at the U.S Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. Following her retirement in 2011, the Secretary of the Navy conferred upon Dr. Purkitt the title of Professor Emerita for her devoted manner throughout her tenure of 33 years of faithful service.

Within her various fields of expertise: African politics, International Relations and National Security, Emerging Security Issues, Political Psychology (decision-making, information processes, human-technology behavior, terrorism), and Policy Methodology (statistics, network analysis, visual modeling), Helen traveled worldwide, with the majority of her travels focused throughout Africa. The relationships and data she collected during these academic ventures, led to her authoring and co-authoring several published works to include: “South African Weapons of Mass Destruction”, “World Politics” (20 volumes), and “African Environment and Human Security in the 21st Century” to name a select few.

After retiring, Helen volunteered as a board member for the Sierra Club of Nevada as well as maintaining various volunteer responsibilities in association with the Democratic Party.

She is survived by her sisters, Charlotte Roach and Marianna Diamos; her nieces Lori Hollingsworth and Kimberly Roach; and her great nieces and nephew; Alexandria, Claire and Jace. We are undoubtedly confident that she will be met by several loved ones who's passing preceded hers: her husband, James Dyson; her mother and father, Alice and Claude Purkitt; and her nephew, John Roach.

A graveside service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, July 22, 2017 at Pacific View Memorial Park in Corona del Mar, California.

Arrangements under the direction of Pacific View Memorial Park and Mortuary FD1176, Corona Del Mar, CA.