Ira Rolland Purchis

The youngest of eight children, Ira was preceded in death by siblings Donna (Suwala), Roddy, Allen Jr., Pat (Purchis-Mather), Ila (Farlin), MaryAnn (Vargo), and Harvey.

His early education took place at Walter French Junior High and Eastern High School in Lansing. Ira went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan State University in 1962 and later returned to complete an MBA in 1984.

Ira’s career spanned several decades and locations. He worked for Burroughs Corporation—later Unisys—in California, Virginia, and Detroit. After a brief stint as a real estate agent, Ira transitioned into public service with the State of Michigan. He retired in 2006 as an IT Data Systems Specialist with the Office of Community Corrections.

Outside of work, Ira had a deep appreciation for the arts and community engagement. He participated in community theater productions across southern California, Virginia, and Detroit. A devoted supporter of his daughter Chris’s work with the Williamston Theatre—of which she is a co-founder—Ira proudly attended all 101 plays produced by the company since its opening in 2006.

Following retirement, Ira embraced travel with enthusiasm. Alongside his beloved wife Ann Stow Purchis—who passed away in June 2023 after nearly 62 years of marriage—they enjoyed timeshare vacations with friends and family. Favorite destinations included Laguna Beach in California, Hilton Head in South Carolina, and Acadia National Park in Maine. Their love for nature led them to explore national parks across the country—from Denali in Alaska to the Everglades in Florida.

One particularly memorable journey occurred in 2013 when Ira spent a month at Grand Canyon National Park with his daughter Cathy—a park ranger—and her two cats. The adventure concluded with a cross-country drive as he accompanied Cathy to her new post in West Virginia.

A long-time member of the choir at Plymouth Congregational Church in Lansing, Ira found joy and fellowship through music and faith.

Ira is survived by his daughters Cathy Purchis of Charles Town, West Virginia; Chris Purchis and her husband Tobin Hissong of Dexter, Michigan; step-grandson Jeff Hissong of Hillsboro, Oregon; as well as many cherished nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held this June in the Lansing area to honor Ira’s memory.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Williamston Theatre (http://williamstontheatre.org), the National Park Foundation (https://give.nationalparks.org), or the Alzheimer’s Association (https://donorservices.alz.org).