Obituary of Howard R. PurdyGainesville - Howard Rufus Purdy, age 100, of 1441 SE 23rd Ave, Gainesville, went to be withthe Lord on October 12, 2023, at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Lake City, Florida.His wife, Elizabeth (Slate) Purdy, preceded him in passing in 2006. He leaves three sons: SteveHoward Purdy and his wife Karen of Claymont, DE, Brian Purdy of Gainesville, and BrettCornelison and his wife Teresa of Gainesville; two daughters: Cheri Purdy (his loving caregiver)and Lora Purdy Ryan, both of Gainesville. He also leaves five grandchildren: Kirsten, Alexander,Brett, Jr., Melinda, and Brittany; and five great-grandchildren: Helen, Decklen, & Lorraine; Davidand Solomon. He was also predeceased by his four brothers: Ross, David, Thomas, & Richardand a sister, Emma.Mr. Purdy was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, the son of Ross and Dagna (Tufte), a Norwegianimmigrant. He attended the Chester Public School System, and lived through the GreatDepression. He served in the US Navy in WWII as a First Class Machinist Mate in the SouthAtlantic, as the acting Chief Engineer on the Admirals yacht, and in the Shore Patrol. Sinceboth parents died in the late 1930s, the Purdy boys (David, Thomas, Howard, & Richard) wereorphaned. The family of Jane and Robert Simpson, with their two daughters Cassie andRoberta, took them into their home in Folsom, Pennsylvania. This was just as the three oldestboys were enlisting in the military, as Richard was still a teenager.Howard moved to Gainesville in 1959 with his wife Elizabeth to start working for Sperry Rand,where they started their family which included the four youngest of his children named above.He eventually worked at the University of Florida Solar House Project where he was amachinist/mechanic, and he assisted engineering students in machine shop practices whileworking in the College of Mechanical Engineering. He loved visiting with his friends andrelatives in the summer up north in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. He loved attendingchurch services at Calvary Baptist Church in southeast Gainesville where he was a deacon andlongtime Sunday school teacher and raised his children there to follow God, and HighlandsBaptist and North Central Baptist Churches in Gainesville until his passing.Services will be this Friday, October 20, at North Central Baptist Church, 8001 NW 23rdAvenue, Gainesville, FL, with viewing and visitation at 1 pm, and the memorial service followingat 2 pm.Burial will be at Hillcrest Memorial Park, Forest Meadows East Cemetery at 3700 SEHawthorne Road, Gainesville, following the service.In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to Altrusa House in Gainesville, FL,or the Alzheimers Association. Cemetery Forest Meadows Cemetery (East) 3700 SE Hawthorne Road Gainesville FL 32641 US (352) 376-9552 Funeral Service Friday, October 20, 2023 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM North Central Baptist Chuirch 8001 NW 23rd Avenue Gainesville FL 32606 US Funeral Home Forest Meadows Funeral Home 725 NW 23rd Avenue Gainsville FL - 32609 US 352-378-2528