Raymond E Purka

Raymond Purka, 65, of Niceville, Fla., passed away peacefully on Sept. 20, 2023. He was born in New York on Feb. 1, 1958 to Joseph W. and Elizabeth (Cichanowicz) Purka, Sr. and lived in Brooklyn, Jamaica and Hicksville, N.Y. before moving to American House in Niceville in 2017. A graduate of Francis Lewis High School in Queens, he worked for the Federation of the Handicapped for 33 years. During “superstorm” Sandy in 2012, he worked 16-hour days at New York’s Penn Station, sleeping on a cot in the breakroom. He was a well-known and popular resident of American House where he routinely performed a variety of volunteer tasks for the residents and staff, as well as walking dogs for several residents. He was a loving and devoted uncle to all his nieces and nephews, regularly calling to check up on them, and inquire about everyone in their families, including their pets. He was also a lifelong fan of the New York Mets and New York Jets and spent hours keeping up on the latest political news on television. He was predeceased by his parents and his brother, Thomas, and is survived by his brother, Joe, and wife, Dee, sister-in-law, Joanne, and nephews and nieces Don (Christine) Purka, Kristen (Jeff) Greer, Thomas Purka, Stephanie Purka, John (Lisa) Kulesa, Robert Kulesa and Ray’s “adopted” brother Mike (Dana) Sorensen. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, Oct. 9 at Christ Our Redeemer Catholic Church in Niceville. He will be interred with his parents at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 1 at the Cemetery of the Holy Rood in Westbury, N.Y.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.VernonCWagnerFuneralHome.com for the Purka family.