Stella Purce Revard

Stella Hill Purce Revard Beloved daughter, wife, and mother. Renowned scholar. Stella was born the second child and only daughter of Mae Hill Purce and WIlliam E. Purce in New York City and it was here that she was raised and educated. Stella also spent much time in her youth at the home of her grandmother and namesake Stella V. Hill in Forsyth, Georgia. Graduated from Hunter College High School in New York, Stella attended Hunter College on scholarship and ultimately earned both her M. A. and PhD in English from Yale University. Stella would later earn a second M.A. in Classics from Washington University in St. Louis. She spent the majority of her teaching career at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville where she was a professor of English. Stella was an internationally recognized scholar of English literature and the numerous articles and books published during her career and after she retired bear witness to both. Scholarship was her work but opera was her passion, and it seemed that little of her leisure time was spent without listening to opera on the radio or attending a performance. Stella often found her way backstage to talk with her favorite singers and they in turn knew her by name. Stella is survived by her husband, Carter, her four children, Stephen, Geoffrey, Vanessa and Lawrence, eleven grandchildren and one great grandchild. Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, July 20, 2014, at University United Methodist Church, 6901 Washington Avenue, Saint Louis, Missouri. A private burial will be held Saturday, July 19, 2014, at Forsyth City Cemetery, Newton Memorial Drive, Forsyth, Georgia. The family will greet friends at Monroe County Memorial Chapel, 86 West Main Street, Forsyth, Georgia 31029, from 2:00 P.M. until 3:00 P.M., Thursday, July 24, 2014. Monroe County Memorial Chapel has charge of arrangements.