Purwillia "Pug" M. Weideman, 88, of 116 LeRoy St., Potsdam, passed Wednesday morning, January 27th, at home where she was under the care of her family and Hospice and Palliative Care of St. Lawrence Valley.

Born May 11, 1927 in Watertown, NY, daughter of Ambrose T. and Hazel D. (Coscomb) Canaan, she attended Watertown schools.

She worked as a clerk at Newberry's Department Store and other Watertown retailers until her marriage. She married Eugene E. Weideman of Ravenna, Ohio on November 24, 1949 at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church in Watertown.

Following their marriage, the couple resided in Ravenna, Ohio from 1949 and returned to Watertown in 1950. Upon returning to Watertown she worked part time at the Watertown Roller Rink until 1959 when the couple moved to Brownville. Pug worked for the General Brown Central School district for almost 30 years. Starting in 1964, she was a lunch room cashier and monitor at the Brownville Elementary School and then joined the custodial staff at the General Brown High School in 1977 where she was a favorite of both teachers and students. She finally retired in 1993.

For more than 15 years, she was the director of the Village of Brownville playground program where she became the daytime "Mom" for more than 60 village kids every day for six weeks during summer breaks.

Pug was also known for her many cake creations that graced local weddings, showers, birthday parties, and other special occasions. Her other interests included arts and crafts and painting.  She moved to Potsdam in 1994 and resided with her daughter, Rebecca, until her death.

She is survived by two daughters and their husbands, Patricia Weideman and John Graefe, Newmarket, NH and Rebecca and Michael Dufour, Potsdam; two sisters, Myrtle Benway of Watertown and Katherine Burke of Greece, NY; two brothers, Timothy Canaan of Watertown and Perley Canaan of Dewitt, IA.

Besides her parents she was predeceased by her husband, Eugene E. Weideman on November 16, 1979 and 11 siblings: Eleanor(Pat) Callahan, Emma LaCroix, Bernice Wilson, Opal Canaan, Julia Peck, Eunice Jeffers, Francis Canaan, and Gerald Canaan; Kenneth, Dorothy, and Patricia all died in infancy.

She is also survived by Tana Rojas and Alberto Solervicens, her American Field Service daughter and her husband, of Chillan, Chile. Tana lived with the Weideman family in 1968-1969 and has returned to visit her American family numerous times, much to Pug's delight.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her name to the following are encouraged: Hospice and Palliative Care of the St. Lawrence Valley, 6805 US-11, Potsdam, NY 13676 (315-265-3105) or Northern New York Community Foundation, 120 Washington Street, Suite 400, Watertown, NY 13601 who will be establishing the Pug Weideman/General Brown Scholarship Fund (315-782-7110).

Calling hours will be 5-7 PM on Friday, January 29th at the Hart & Bruce Funeral Home, 117 North Massey Street, Watertown.

Following a brief prayer service on Saturday, January 30th at 10:15 AM at the funeral home, a funeral mass will be said at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church in Watertown at 11:00 AM. Her nephew, Rev. Fr. Timothy Canaan, of The Church of St. John the Baptist in Plattsburgh, will be celebrant.

Immediately following the funeral mass, her daughters invite Pug's family and friends to join them for a luncheon at the Italian American Civic Association, 192 Bellew Avenue, Watertown.

Spring burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Watertown.

Online condolences may be made at www.hartandbrucefh.com.