In Memoriam: Rita Sutherland Purdy, 1941-2018

Rita S. Purdy, professor emerita and former chair of the department of family and consumer sciences at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, passed away late last month. She was 77 years old.

Before coming to Baylor, Dr. Purdy served as a professor and dean of undergraduate programs for College of Human Resources at Virginia Tech. She joined the faculty at Baylor in 1996 as chair of family and consumer sciences and served as a professor until she retired in 2009.

“Dr. Purdy led the department of family and consumer sciences at Baylor with vision and grace during a time of transition for the university during the late 1990s and early 2000s, providing a strong voice for the program and its faculty,” said Dr. Rinn M. Cloud, chair and professor of family and consumer sciences at Baylor. “Through her career, her personal life and her Christian commitment, she embodied the mission and vision of our discipline to improve the quality of life of individuals, families and communities.”

Dr. Purdy received her bachelor’s degree in clothing and textiles from Virginia Tech. She went on to earn a master’s degree in clothing and textiles from the University of Tennessee before returning to Virginia Tech to complete her Ph.D.