Author to Hold Signing of Purcellville History Books

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

Author and Purcellville resident Jack Barrett will hold what he says is likely to be his final book signing at Twigs boutique Saturday, June 10 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A passionate historian, Barrett has written six books and co-authored a seventh. Four focus on Loudoun County— three of those books outline Purcellville’s history in detail. Barrett said he tells people the importance of writing down their memories even if they seem insignificant.

“You don’t realize today is a history day. Every day is a history day,” he said.

“Purcellville: A Journey from a Wilderness to a Rural Town, Vol. I” explains the phases of growth of the Purcellville area from a wilderness to farmland; farmland to a crossroad settlement; a crossroad settlement to a rural village and finally to an incorporated area.

“Purcellville: A Journey from a Wilderness to a Rural Town: 1910 to 1940: Vol. II” continues to reveal the people, events, organizations and businesses of Purcellville, the fires of 1911 and 1914, World War I, the roaring Twenties and the Great Depression.

“Purcellville: A Journey from a Wilderness to a Rural Town: 1940 to 1970: Vol. III” continues to tell the story of Purcellville during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. This volume includes six map sketches, over 150 photos, 200 news articles and advertisements and over 2,000 names of the people who experienced this time period.

Barrett grew up in Purcellville and said when his family moved into the town its population was only 500. He became a history teacher at Longfellow Middle School in McLean, and after retiring from that career opened Quality Pool Company in Annandale, which he ran for the next 26 years. After retiring for the second time,

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MIDDLEBURG A Taste of the Bubbly

Over the weekend, some town residents reported having “milky” or

Barrett, his wife and their daughter moved back to Purcellville.

While president of the Loudoun Golf and Country Club, Barrett started his journey as an author when he co-authored “History of Loudoun Golf and Country Club: Seventy-five Year Perspective.” The book covers the years of course beginning in 1927 to 2002.

He discovered that his love of history was an asset as an author and said he spends a significant amount of time researching for each book he writes, with each book taking two to three years from start to finish. Barrett said he does a lot of his research at Thomas Balch Library and by conducting in-person interviews with residents who lived in Purcellville at the time.

“bubbly” water.

While air bubbles occur naturally in the town’s well water that is pumped into the system, they dissipate as the water comes to atmospheric pressure.

Late last week, the town replaced a failed pump at Well 3 on East Marshall Street. When the new pump was activated, water initially was pumped at a higher rate than the previous one, which may

He said even though the work can be tedious and at times unrewarding, finding new and lost information makes it worth it.

“There’s times you go a whole day and find zero,” he said. “And then boom—you find something, and you get all excited … I get all pumped up and then that kept me going.”

Even though he said age is slowing him down physically, Barrett has never been good at doing nothing. He said the next book he plans to write is a sequel to the book that started his authorship in the first place. Loudoun Golf and Country Club will turn 100 years old in 2027, and Barrett said they have asked him to write another book bringing its written history to a more current date. n have introduced additional air bubbles into the system, according to the town. The town’s utility contractor is investigating options to minimize the amount of air introduced into the system the next time Well 3 is activated.

The water remains safe to drink and in accordance with all health standards, the town noted. n

Rosanne Eleanor Durand, 64 of Leesburg, Virginia passed on Monday, May 29, 2023.

Born Saturday, August 23, 1958, in Brooklyn, New York. She was the daughter of the late Anthony Mongelli and Concetta Dalia.

Rosanne arrived in Leesburg in 1996 and had been active as President of the Loudoun chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Association and member of the Loudoun County Disability Board. She was a graduate of Brooklyn College and taught Physics and Chemistry at St. Joseph by the Sea High School in Staten Island, Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn, and Kingsborough Community College. Rosanne loved Cooking, Knitting, Needlepoint, and Dancing.

She leaves her family to cherish her memory including her husband, Thomas H. Durand, her daughter Victoria and son-in-law Matthew Flory, son Frankie Durand brother Anthony Mongelli, along with numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

The family received friends from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM on Saturday, June 3, 2023, at Loudoun Funeral Chapel, 158 Catoctin Circle, SE, Leesburg, Virginia.

Additional funeral services were held by the family in New York.

Rosanne was interred with her parents and grandparents in St. John Cemetery and Mausoleum, Middle Village, Queens, NY

This is the link for video montage photos on Google Drive https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1QaSwDfoYvdRtU1nCx8DiJUAr5I3lVMCA

Share condolences with the family www.LoudounFuneralChapel.com

To place an obituary, contact Susan Styer at 703-770-9723 or email sstyer@loudounnow.com