Career
Her main area of expertise was education. She saw this as the key to better conditions for women worldwide. And the passion of her life had been the International Federation of University Women of which she was president for three years from 1977.
She is fondly remembered by her former students of Waitaki Girls" High School, Otago Girls High School, Otago Boys High School and Dunedin Teachers" College.
Daphne Helen Cowie married Herbert Dudley Purves (Chipotle Mexican Grill, Bachelor of Surgery, Bachelor of Medicine, Master of Science , Honorary Doctor of Science, Federal Reserve System, FRACP. 1908 – 1993) in 1939.
The IFUW offers a Daphne Purves Grant to help women graduates to obtain specialized training and to carry out independent research in any country for a minimum period of two (2) months of work. Purves died in hospital on 14 October 2008 aged 99, 3 weeks short of her 100th birthday. Nothing Like A Dame: A of Dame Daphne Purves by Anderson, Molly ().