Obituary of Richard Denton Purdy

Mr. Richard +óGé¼+ôDick+óGé¼-¥ Denton Purdy, 75, of Melbourne, Florida, died Sunday, May 10, 2015. The son of Howard E. Purdy and Evelyn R. Purdy. He was born October 19, 1939 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He attended Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Dick served in the United Sates Army in Fort Dix, New Jersey as a reservist from 1963 to 1969. He met his wife Marie at Union College in Cranford, New Jersey where she was a nursing student and they were married on April 20, 1963. Together they raised their three wonderful children in Bridgewater, New Jersey. He retired as regional sales manager for Unique Wire Weaving Company in Hillside, New Jersey. During a Sunday drive through New York Finger Lakes, with their children, Dick and Marie found their home away from home, a small lake front cottage on the shore of Seneca Lake in Lodi, New York. Even after relocating to Melbourne, Florida, Dick’s greatest joy continued to be their annual summer trip to their cottage on Seneca Lake. He was an active member of the New Jersey Jaycees, where he was past president and senator. He was also a choir director of Martinsville United Methodist Church in Martinsville, New Jersey. He was a member of the Ovid Federated Church in Ovid, New York and was also a member of the choir. Dick is survived by his wife of 52 years, Marie Estelle Schmidt Purdy; his son and daughter in law, Gregory Richard Purdy and Amy C. Purdy; his daughter, Donna Marie Purdy; his son,Garret Todd Purdy; his grandsons, Nicholas Gregory Purdy and Devin Richard Wade; his brother and sister in law, John W. Purdy and Norma Purdy; his sister in law, Lorraine Purdy; his nieces, Karen Glassick, Kim Haverkost, and Laura Purdy; and his nephew, Jack Purdy. He was predeceased by his parents and his brother Karle H. Purdy. Dick was a loving husband, a wonderful father and grandfather, and a great friend who loved to laugh and make people laugh. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends. A celebration of Dick’s life will be held on Friday at 1:00 pm on May 15, 2015 in the chapel at Ammen Family Cremation & Funeral Care, 1001 South Hickory Street, Melbourne, Florida 32901. He will be laid to rest later this summer at Lodi Cemetery in Lodi, New York. In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the South Brevard Humane Society in Melbourne, Florida.