Claudine Calma Purcell Dies At 32

Claudine Calma Purcell

Claudine Calma Purcell, a young woman with a big heart for family, died in Arizona from an accidental drowning on Tuesday, August 23. She was 32.

Born September 19, 1978, to Heike Rams and the late Dr. Tomas Calma, she was raised by her mother and Dr. Gary Purcell, whom she considered her father, in East Hampton. She was one of 16 children and knew everyone’s name and how old they 
were. She always tried to keep in contact with everyone, family said.

Making scrapbooks for her family was something she loved to do. Just two years ago, she put together a scrapbook for her sister Charlene, tracing Charlene’s life from her infancy to her marriage, as well as one for her brother. According to family she was in the process of creating another scrapbook for her cousin, Sarah.

Ms. Purcell also loved to spend as much time as possible with her family and especially with her nieces and nephews. It didn’t matter where they went or what they did, she loved being with them.

She always had a big, beautiful smile on her face, loved to make those around her laugh.

As a teenager, she was involved in the yearbook club, cheerleading and Irish step dancing while she attended East Hampton High School. Ms. Purcell loved to dance and would go dancing three or four times a week. She also loved watching movies with friends and family.

After graduating in 1997, she and her parents moved to Arizona where she earned an associate’s degree in communications from Scottsdale Community College. She was a real estate agent at Century 21 in Gilbert, Arizona, for nearly five years and gave 100-percent effort when it came to her real estate career, family said.

In addition to being a hard worker, family will remember Ms. Purcell as a sweet, funny and caring and compassionate sister, daughter and aunt who would go out of her way to help anyone.

Ms. Purcell is survived by her parents; her grandmother, Johanna Rams of Arizona; siblings, Charlene Thomas of East Hampton, Brian Calma of California, Derrick Lonk, of Nevada, Rudy Lonk of Cutchogue, John Calma of Coram, Tomas Calma, of California, Maricar Bochicchio of St. James, Tina Calma Etts of Melville, Christopher Calma of Bethpage, Tess Solik of Manhattan, Clem Calma of Lindenhurst, Vincent Calma of Copaigue, Christine Musalo of Massapequa Park, Constance Scarpa of Amityville, and Andrew Calma of Florida; and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation took place on Thursday, September 1, at Yardley & Pino Funeral Home in East Hampton. A funeral Mass took place at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in East Hampton on Friday, September 2.