Mary Wanita Purks, age 86 of Riverside, passed away Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at Widow's Home, Dayton. She was born in Dayton on June 24, 1935 the daughter of Willard & Cletus (Urschel) Gibson. She worked at Brainer's Metal Industries in Dayton for over 23 years and at the Dayton YMCA as a server for over 10 years.

She is survived by her children Guy (Donna) Ward, Tracy (John) Purks Gover, Barbara (Toby Sr.) Purks Collins and Maria K. (Steve) Jones; 18 grandchildren Randy Ward, Amanda Ward, Toby Collins Jr., Marissa Garrett, Tasheka Clark, Helma Collins, Tammy Owens, Adrienne Ward, Leslie Collins, Christopher Collins, Christopher Adkins, Christina Soter, Jackson Marker, Dina Shrout Barnhart, Heather Soter, Troy Ward, Cheyenna Everhart, Scotty Everhart; 20 great grandchildren; 1 great great grandson; brothers Johnny Gibson and Joseph "JD" (Georginna) Demaris; sister Patty Gibson Kindred and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents; step mother Mary J. Gibson; step father Theodore Ledford; first husband Walter Ward Jr. and second husband Tommy Purks; sons Teddy, Robert and Randy Ward; daughters Darlene Ward, Tina Purks and Anna Purks Everhart; granddaughter Dal'Linn Clark; great grandson Lukchyiono Purks-Garrett-Webster; brothers Harry, Willie, Chris, Mike and Ronnie Gibson; and sisters Delores Barns and Brenda Sue Gibson. The family would like to thank Latosha Horton and ShaTina Smalls for being her caregiver aides since 2015.

A gathering of family and friends will be held on Friday, November 26, 2021 from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm at the ZERKLE FUNERAL HOME, 11900 N. Dixie Dr., Tipp City. A funeral service will be held on Friday at 1:00 pm at the funeral home with Pastor Tom Henn officiating. Burial will follow in Forest Hills Memorial Gardens, Tipp City. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may made in Wanita's memory to Hospice of Dayton, 324 Wilmington Ave., Dayton, Ohio 45420. Condolences may be sent to the family through this online guestbook.