Robert E. Purcell, age 96, of Meadow Ridge, Redding, formerly a 46 year resident of New Canaan, Ct., died peacefully Wednesday, January 6, 2016. Born in Arlington, Mass., on January 25, 1919, Bob was the son of the late Daniel and Mary Doyle Purcell. He was predeceased by his wife Eleanor Casserly Purcell, who died in 1996. Raised in Arlington, Mass., Bob was the youngest of five children. He attended Arlington High School while working on the family farm. Upon graduation from Boston University, where he majored in Education, he joined the U.S. Navy, receiving his commission as an officer. He was then sent to Cornell University to study Celestial Navigation, followed by Miami, Fla., for Submarine Chase training. Then Anti-Submarine Warfare, Gunnery School and Destroyer School, from there on to Pearl Harbor. Lt. Purcell became Captain of a Sub Chaser in the Aleutian Islands, the Bering Strait and Japan. During the war, he spent many months in Hawaii recovering from back surgery due to injuries sustained while fighting the Japanese on the island of Attu. For his Naval service Lt. Purcell received the following medals: American Area Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Area Medal (1st Star) and the World War II Victory Medal. He served his country from 1942-1947. After the War, Bob began a career in textiles. While working for Manchester Hosiery Mills in New Hampshire, he met his future wife Eleanor, and they soon settled in Belmont, Mass. In the early 1960s, he and his family of four young children traded their Belmont home for a Mexican Diplomat’s home in Mexico City for three months. Thus planting the seed of international adventure in his children. In 1963 Bob moved his family to New Canaan, Ct., facilitating a continued career in New York City. For the majority of his career he commuted into New York City, where he represented a variety of textile firms. His creativity and ingenuity led him to be the first to import Wolford Pantyhose to the United States. Private label work became a successful challenge, and custom brands included Ralph Lauren and Donna Karan, among others. Bob represented knitting mills throughout Germany, which fostered his love of German language, food and personal friendships. Bob remained young by way of his strong work ethic—he received his last order from The Vermont Country Store at the age of 92. Bicycling from his home on South Avenue in New Canaan to meet "the boys" for breakfast at Lou's Kitchen downtown kept Bob in shape for his passion—tennis. He played well into his 80s. He volunteered an immense amount of time to the development of tennis, especially for children. He helped establish the Southern New England Jr. Tennis Championships, co-founded the Parent-Child tournament at Mead Park, and served as treasurer of the National Indoor Platform Tennis Championships hosted by New Canaan High School. Most of his free time was spent on the tennis courts at The Lake Club or Mead Park, hitting tennis balls with his children and passing on his love of the game. Throughout his life, Bob spent his summers on Cape Cod. As a youngster he was a bat boy for the Orleans Firebirds of the summer baseball league. As years passed, Bob spent hours playing in the waves with his grandchildren. He so loved the ocean that he earned his endearment “The Big Fish” for nipping at his grandchildren’s toes while swimming. Bob is survived by one son, Robert B. Purcell and his wife Robin of Danville, CA, three daughters, Louise P. Hemmerle and her husband Glenn of Wilton, CT, Kate Purcell and her husband Kevin Plette of Burlington, VT and Eleanor Adams and her husband Brad of Sullivan’s Is., SC. Also surviving Bob are six greatly loved grandchildren with whom he had much fun: Ford (wife Kady) and Sarah Adams, Heather and Ginny Purcell, and Ned and Meg Hemmerle, and two great grandchildren, Wells and Hattie Adams. In addition to his wife, Bob was predeceased by his granddaughter Eliza Adams Metz. A Memorial Mass will be held on January 30 at 11:00 a.m. at St Aloysius Roman Catholic Church, New Canaan, CT In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to: The Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, attn. Fr. Peter Le Jacq, MM, PO Box 302, Maryknoll, NY 10545 with IMO Bob Purcell written in the memo section. The NCHS Scholarship Foundation, ATT: Treasurer, New Canaan High School, 11 Farms Rd., New Canaan, CT 06840