LELIA JANE "BUNNY ALVEY "The Sunshine Lady"

Bunny Alvey passed away peacefully on August 16, 2017 in Zephyrhills, Florida. She was 93 years old. She was born on January 8, 1924 in Sedalia, Missouri, to R.Z. Purvis and Lelia Pearl (Woodson) Purvis. After graduation from Sedalia High School, she briefly attended Stanford University, before transferring to what is now Central Missouri in Warrensburg. There she met Harold Alvey, an Army Air Force serviceman stationed at a nearby military base. A wartime wedding in March 1945 led to 63 years of happy marriage, until his death in 2008.

An only child, Bunny found a warm welcome in Harolds large family. Over the years, she developed close ties with her new relatives, and maintained connections with the extended family throughout her life. In time, she extended this inclusive attitude to her own growing family of children, their spouses, ex-spouses, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Once you became a member of Bunny and Harolds family, they considered you a member for life.

In the early years of their marriage, Bunny and Harold moved to various towns in the Midwest, before finally settling near Harolds family in Morganfield, Kentucky. He took a job with Sun Oil Company, and stayed with that employer until his retirement. Along the way, children were born, and the Alvey family moved several times for job transfers to Taylorville, Illinois; St. Clair, Michigan; Hillsdale, Michigan; and Houghton Lake, Michigan. After "snowbirding" for many years in Zephyrhills, Florida, Bunny and Harold moved there permanently in 2007.

When her oldest child left for college, Bunny joined the workforce in a variety of clerical positions near Hillsdale. After the move to Houghton Lake, she found work in the office of the Sears Roebuck service division, and continued there until her retirement. Bunny and Harold enjoyed golfing and bowling and playing cards with friends and family. In Florida, they were very active in the affairs of Zephyr Shores Estates. Until shortly before her death, Bunny served as "The Sunshine Lady" for the park, serving up jokes at weekly meetings, and seeing that condolences, get-well cards, and other good wishes were sent to residents on behalf of their Zephyr Shores neighbors. She was a voracious reader all her life, and loved puzzles, (both jigsaws and word and logic puzzles). Bunny was a Red Hat lady, and enjoyed romantic movies and playing bingo and dominoes with her many friends.

Bunny was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and all her brothers- and sisters-in-law. She is survived by her family, Janet (Chuck) Gagliano of Haslett, Michigan; Pat (Alice) Alvey of Bourbonnais, Illinois; Mike (Iva) Alvey and Nancy Alvey of Zephyrhills, Florida; and Jim (Chris) Alvey of Saline, Michigan. She also leaves behind 11 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews, and many friends. Everyone will miss "The Sunshine Lady". We are grateful for her presence in our lives.

Family members will welcome friends to a visitation at Hodges Funeral Home, 36327 State Rd. 54, in Zephyrhills from 2 to 4 pm on Saturday, August 19. Bunny will be buried next to Harold in the family plot in Morganfield, Kentucky at a later date.

Bunny was a long-time supporter of the Humane Society of the United States. A donation in her name would be a good way to honor her memory.

Hodges Family Funeral Home, Zephyrhills