Mary Jane Purcell Day

 Mary Jane Purcell Day, age 87, died on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 at Oakwood Village West. She was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin on January 15, 1923, the daughter of Francis Henderson and Jane K. (Bowen) Purcell.   Her childhood home was in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.   She received her diploma from Wisconsin High, in Madison, Wisconsin. Mary Jane was a graduate of the University of Wisconsin ( Madison) with a B.S. in secondary education with an emphasis in History in 1944, and received her M.A. in History from the same institution in 1947.   She taught history both on the high school and college levels at:   Waupun High School, Oregon High School, the University of Wisconsin Extension, and American University in Washington, D.C.  She later worked as a Planning Analyst for the Wisconsin Department of Health and Social Services. On December 18, 1948 she married Roland B. Day, and, with the exception of one year in Washington, D.C., they lived together in Madison, Wisconsin until his death in July of 2008.   She is survived by their daughter, Sarah Day of Madison. A funeral service will be held at 1:00 pm at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, 3610 Speedway Rd Madison on Saturday, October 16, 2010, with visitation from 11:30 am until the time of service.   Burial will follow at Forest Hill Cemetery.   Memorial contributions in Mary Jane's name may be made to the State of Wisconsin Historical Society, 816 State St. Madison, WI   53706, or The Oakwood Foundation Inc., 6201 Mineral Point Rd.,   Madison, WI   53705.   Her daughter wishes to extend her deep appreciation to her mother's physician, Edwin Ferguson, and to all Oakwood Village staff members who gave such kind, loving and professional care to her mother for the last six years while she lived at Oakwood.