Bishop Purvis D. McMillan
Published 8:58 am Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Bishop Purvis D. McMillan, 87, of Atmore, passed away on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013, at Baptist Hospital in Pensacola, Fla.
McMillan
He was native of Atmore and a graduate of Escambia County Training School. He served his county in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was an avid auto mechanic, singer, and fisherman who also enjoyed baseball and football.
Bishop McMillian was the founder of Faith Pentecostal Holiness Church in 1988 and served as the pastor until his retirement in 2003. He was ordained as a bishop in 1994 and served as the presiding bishop with the Apostolic Faith Penecostal, Inc., from 1997 until his death.
He was a former member and deacon at the Mt. Gillead Baptist Church, where was one of the organizers of the male chorus. He later became a member and deacon at Faith Tabernacle Holiness Church where he was a member at his death. He received his honorary doctorate from E. L. White Theological Seminary in Mobile. His other involvements included member of United Watchmen for Christ, Atmore Christian Care Ministry, and he was a Mason.
Those left to embrace his loving memories are his wife, Mary L. McMillan of Atmore; four daughters, Faye Kendrix of Los Angeles, Calif., Valerie (Terrell) Jones of Birmingham, Renee Parker and Teresa Norman, both of Atmore; three sons, Willie (Linda) McMillan of Los Angeles, Jerry (Flora) McMillan of Detroit, and Michael Norman of Montgomery; one sister, Novella Johnson of Atmore; three brothers, Prince McMillan and Willie McMillan, both of Atmore and Thawatha (Lenora) McMillan of Houston, Texas; 17 grandchildren; and a host of great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, church family and friends.
Celebration of Life services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, at Mt. Gillead Baptist Church in Atmore (Freemanville community). Retirement of his remains will be laid to rest in the Pierce-Rabb Cemetery.
Public viewing for Bishop Purvis McMillian will be held on Saturday from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m. at the funeral home and from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Faith Penecostal Holiness Church on Jack Springs Road, with Turner Funeral Chapel, LLC, directing.