(Margaret) Jane Bache Purslow is remembered as a ball of fiery energy, taking pictures of community events and giving them away freely.

She snapped images of countless gatherings, from the War Dog Memorial to VFW, AMVETS, American Legion, parades and business grand openings in Lyon Township and South Lyon. Purslow’s work is spread throughout the communities and can be seen on the Lyon website.

“She did it out of the kindness of her heart,” said Lyon Township Deputy Clerk April Talaga.


Bird lover

She especially enjoyed taking pictures of birds at Kensington Metropark, where she followed the osprey.

“One of the ospreys was named after her,” said her daughter, Michelle Peace. “She loved volunteering and getting out there with the public.”

When Purslow didn’t have a lens in front her face, her strong presence was emphasized by a constant smile and ready laugh, her piercing hazel eyes and bright red hair.

Known for her photo-editing and restoration work, Purslow also provided pictures for the Lyon Township, Images of America book, published by Arcadia Publishing. She also contributed photos of cells to many books about pathology.

Purslow, who lived in Milford and then Hartland, received local notoriety when she captured a breathtaking and dramatic picture of a heron attacking an osprey nest. It ran in local newspapers, including the South Lyon Observer.


Never a stranger for long

Peace learned about the extent of her mother’s friendly personality when she went through her contact list.

“She even had one of the Walmart greeters in her phone,” Peace said.

Purslow loved to ski, scuba dive, sail, ride horses, carve wooden ducks and weave baskets. If that wasn’t enough to keep her busy, she went to school to become a master gardener. Purslow was also a member of a fly-fishing group and was the only female at that time.

“She was a very busy lady,” Peace said.

At the request of a high school classmate who was gathering information for a reunion, Purslow said she was a United Airlines stewardess until management learned she was married, which was forbidden at the time. Purslow moved from Ohio to Michigan in 1965, attended the Harper Hospital of Cytopathology for cancer diagnoses and was a supervisor/education coordinator in a new school of cytopathology at University of Michigan Hospital and then Henry Ford Hospital.

Purslow published several papers, was a consultant, taught workshops and presented scientific work at national meetings. She was a photo-micrographer, contributing to 17 textbooks in diagnostic cytopathology.

“Yes, I’m proud to be a part of the team to improve diagnostic techniques in cancer diagnosis and early treatment protocols,” she wrote. “My real passion is being a part of the re-introduction of the osprey to southeast Michigan at Kensington Metropark. I’ve taken thousands of images of these wonderful birds of prey and continue to participate in our banding program for this area.”

Purslow is survived by Peace; her son Steven Smith; brother Gary Bache and his wife, Sue; grandchildren, Kyle and Halley Peace, and Aiden, Alex and Amelia Smith, as well as a nephew, Gary Bache, Jr.

When Talaga described Purslow, she emphasized how her friend maintained a youthful presence. “She was always in fast motion,” Talaga said. “She said it like it was and she’s going to be dearly missed.”