Obituary of Judge Purnell Chancey

Mr. Judge Purnell Chancey, a resident of Dothan, died early Tuesday morning, April 15, 2025 at his home surrounded by his loving family. He was 87 years old. Funeral services for Mr. Chancey will be 11:00 A.M. Saturday, April 19, 2025, in the Chapel of Holman Funeral Home in Ozark with Reverend Joey Hudspeth officiating. Interment will follow in Pleasant Ridge Methodist Church Cemetery, Holman Funeral Home of Ozark directing. The family will receive friends at the funeral home in Ozark from 10:00 A.M. until service time. Mr. Chancey was born September 5, 1937 in Dale County, Alabama to the late Judge Leslie Chancey and Jessie Myrl Paramore Chancey. He graduated from Ariton High School in 1956. Following graduation, he was drafted into the United States Army where he served during the Korea Conflict. He met and married the love of his life, Gwendolyn Stephens, and they made their home in Dothan. He began his career as a plumber and pipe fitter with Daniels Construction Company who was a contractor for Farley Nuclear Plant. After retiring from Daniels Construction Purnell started his own plumbing company, Chancey and Davidson Plumbing. He enjoyed working in his yard and was famous for his scuppernong vines at the corner of South Park and Taylor Road. Later in life, he really enjoyed the company of his dog “Buddy”. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Gwendolyn Stephens Chancey; one son, Jeffrey Purnell Chancey; and one brother, Bobby Chancey. Survivors include one son, Leslie Scott Chancey (Marilyn) of Dothan; siblings, Merle C. Charles (Harris) of the Arguta Community, Paschal Chancey (Ann) of Dothan, Odell Chancey (Fay) of Valley, Shirley C. Yelverton of Ozark and Terry Chancey (Sandra) of Skipperville. Numerous nieces and nephews also survive. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his memory to the Pleasant Ridge Methodist Cemetery Fund, 2303 County Road 2, Ariton, Alabama 36311; or to the charity of your choice.