Rev. and Mrs. Ronald C. Purkey

My name is Ronald Purkey, and I am an ordained Baptist minister. While I was serving in the U.S. Army, I married my high school sweetheart, Sarah Sibert. We have been married for over fifty years and have two children and three grandchildren.

While Sarah and I were a young married couple, three of our infant children died because of Muscular Dystrophy. After the death of our twenty-five day old son on Christmas day in 1958, we both accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior. I was called to preach in 1960, and Sarah and I both attended Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, Tennessee. We both were active members of the Highland Park Baptist Church in Chattanooga where Dr. Lee Roberson was our pastor.

I attended Purdue University Calumet Campus in Hammond, Indiana for two years and graduated from both Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, Tennessee with a Bachelor of Arts degree and Temple Baptist Seminary in Chattanooga, Tennessee with a Bachelor of Religious Education degree. I have also completed postgraduate studies at Indiana University in Gary, Indiana and chaplain’s training at Parkview Memorial Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

In 1995 Sarah, a registered nurse, and I were the co-founders of Hope Hospice in Rochester, Indiana . For nearly fourteen years I served as the president of the Board of Directors of Hope Hospice, I am also the former executive director serving in that position for over ten years, and I served on the board of directors of Hope Hospice for seventeen years. I have also served Hope Hospice as a volunteer, a chaplain, a bereavement facilitator, an advertising manager, a marketing manager, the editor of the hospice newsletter, and as the billing manager.

I was licensed to preach and ordained at the First Baptist Church in Hammond, Indiana where I also served as a Christian school teacher, a deacon, a church trustee, and an assistant pastor to Dr. Jack Hyles. In over fifty years of ministry I have served nine churches in six states as a pastor or assistant pastor: Paul’s Chapel Church (Winamac, Indiana); First Baptist Church (Kewanna, Indiana); Believers Baptist Church (Winona Lake, Indiana); North Sharon Bible Church and Christian School (Grass Lake, Michigan); Faith Baptist Church (Perry, Ohio); First Baptist Church (Hammond, Indiana); North Love Baptist Church (Rockford, Illinois); Temple Baptist Church (Albuquerque, New Mexico); and Jump Off Baptist Church (Sewanee, Tennessee).

I retired as a pastor in September of 2008. I now teach Sunday School and do pulpit supply preaching in local churches. I have posted some of my sermons and Bible studies on my website. You can also email me at purkey@rtcol.com

I am a nurse, a mother, and a preacher's wife. Ron and I have been married for over fifty years and have two children. We also have three grandchildren.

While Ron and I were a young married couple, three of our infant children died because of Muscular Dystrophy. After the death of our twenty-five day old son on Christmas day in 1958, we both accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior. In 1960 Ron entered the ministry, and we moved to Tennessee. We both attended Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga and were active members of the Highland Park Baptist Church.

I have been a nurse for over fifty years. I graduated from Purdue University Calumet Campus, Hammond, Indiana as an LPN; from Grace College, Winona Lake, Indiana as an RN; and from Bethel College, Mishawaka, Indiana with a BA degree in management. I also completed some work on a MA degree at Indiana University, South Bend.

In 1995 my husband and I were the co-founders of Hope Hospice, Inc. in Rochester, Indiana. I served Hope Hospice as the director of patient care/vice president for thirteen years and on the board of directors for seventeen years. Also, I served for four years processing the monthly Medicare billing. I now serve as a hospice volunteer.