By Karen Andrew
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Known as "Ms. Dot" to her students, Dorothy Lou Purintun was a devoted teacher who was concerned about the reading skills of children.

She died Friday of leukemia at the Hospice of Cincinnati in Blue Ash. The former Forest Park resident was 69.

She was born in 1933 in Kansas and lived in a number of locations because her father worked for the railroad.

In 1955, she earned a bachelor's degree from the College of Emporia of Emporia, Kan., and in 1961, she earned a master's in Christian Education from the San Francisco Theological Seminary.

While at the seminary, she met her future husband, the Rev. Wayne Purintun. They were married in 1960.

In 1968, the Purintuns moved to the Cincinnati area when Rev. Purintun became pastor of Springdale Presbyterian Church and Associate Presbyter at the Presbytery of Cincinnati.

Mrs. Purintun taught social studies at Garfield Junior High in Hamilton from 1968-'73.

She then taught the first, second and third grades at Bethany School in Glendale from 1973-1980.

One of her sons, Michael of Louisville, said there was a reason his mother decided to teach the younger children.

"She became concerned about the lack of reading skills in the junior high students," he said. "She wanted to help."

He said she took numerous classes at Xavier and Miami universities to assist her in teaching.

"Education and reading were really important to her - they were her passion," he said.

She was also a religious education director at the Wyoming Presbyterian Church from 1980-91. Additionally, she became a volunteer coordinator and reading specialist at Lincoln Heights Elementary School from 1991-'95.

In 1996, the Purintuns moved to Willmar, Minn., where the Rev. Purintun became the Presbytery executive. Mrs. Purintun conducted a volunteer reading program and taught first- and second-graders.

"She had a passion for life, church and children," her son said.

In addition to her husband and son Michael, she is survived by two other sons, Marc of Richmond, Va., and Matthew of Greenhills; a sister, Bonnie Canaday of Lake of the Ozarks, Mo., and three grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Monday at Wyoming Presbyterian Church.

Memorials: Wyoming Presbyterian Church, 225 Wyoming Avenue, Wyoming 45215.