Anchor Mearl Purvis to retire from Fox13 at the end of July after 18 years
Anchor Mearl Purvis will retire from Fox13 later this month, the station announced Friday.
"Mearl is a master storyteller. She is the voice of reason and responsible journalism in the Mid-South," said Michelle Harper, VP/GM of FOX13 Memphis, in a written statement. "Her service to the community and newsroom will be missed, though we thank her for her mentorship to the next generation of journalists."
Purvis, who graduated from Jackson State University, has been with Fox13 since 2004. Previously, she worked as a reporter and anchor in Charlotte, North Carolina, New Haven, Connecticut, Jackson. Mississippi, and Nashville and moved to Memphis in 1992.
"Thank you Memphis and the Mid-South. You adopted me decades ago as your daughter," Purvis said in a written statement released by Fox13. "You’ve trusted me to read books to your babies, to speak at your church programs and yes to update you on the news events of the day. After more than 30 years in the news business, I’m going to retire from the daily work I’ve loved for so long. I’m a blessed woman. I got to be with you for both a long time and it was a good time. Godspeed."
Purvis is a volunteer for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis, a supporter of Porter Leath and Bridges, and a Board of Visitors member for Uiversity of Tennessee Health Science Center. During the 5 p.m. news broadcast Friday, Purvis said that she was looking forward to the vacationing and gardening she would be able to do once she retired.
"You'll see me in the garden section of every plant place around," Purvis said. "This is going to sound nuts, but I do look forward to digging in the dirt for as long as I want, any day that I want. You know I love gardening."
Purvis is currently the anchor weeknights at 9 and 10 p.m. on FOX13 evening newscasts. Darcy Thomas, who is currently the early evening anchor, will expand into that role after Purvis retires, co-anchoring with Darrell Greene staring in August.
"The Mid-South is very very fortunate because the women taking my place has been around longer than all of us," Purvis said during the 5 p.m. news broadcast tonight. "Darcy Thomas, she has a passion for this community and she is also a servant leader."
Purvis will anchor her final newscasts on July 29.
Gina Butkovich covers DeSoto County, storytelling and general news. She can be reached at 901-232-6714 or on Twitter @gigibutko.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Longtime anchor Mearl Purvis to retire from Fox13 at the end of July
