Obituary: Richard C. Purdy

Richard Caldwell Purdy, 91, of Gettysburg, left us in the early evening hours of December 18, at home, and in the presence of his family.

A beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, Dick will be remembered for his kindness, generosity, and devotion to family. He was both understated and opinionated, an intent and thoughtful listener, yet never reluctant to share his thoughts on a variety of topics, often spiced with a dose of his inimitable wit.

He will most certainly be remembered by hundreds as a favorite teacher, one who could always make English class enjoyable, often by applying that same wit to topics as dry as grammar or vocabulary, over the course of a 30-year career.

Born on May 7, 1934, in Philadelphia, he was the oldest of two sons born to John Barlow Simpson Purdy and Clare Linton (Pfaff) Purdy. He grew up on Greenwood Avenue in Lansdowne, Delaware County, PA, sang in the boys’ choir at St. Mark’s at 16th and Locust in Philadelphia, and graduated from Lansdowne High School, where he excelled in football and dramatics, in 1952.

Following high school, he enrolled at Gettysburg College, where he met his future wife, Shirley A. Picking, of Ashland, Ohio. He left college in 1954 for a two-year stint in the U.S. Army, during which, in February of 1955, he and Shirley were married. Their first child, Richard Mark, was born at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, the following January.

Dick returned to Gettysburg College after his discharge and graduated in 1958 with a degree in education. Now with a second son, Marshall Scott, he and Shirley moved to Columbus, Ohio, where he began his teaching career at Roosevelt Junior High School.

He taught English for nine years in Columbus, eventually moving to Eastmoor High School, where he enjoyed great success as coach of the school’s award-winning debate team. During that same period, he was honored to be chosen to introduce baseball legend Jackie Robinson at a Columbus speaking engagement.

In 1968, the Purdys, now including daughter Ann Linton, returned to Gettysburg. Dick first taught at Bermudian Springs High School for two years before moving to Gettysburg High School, where he was soon joined by another English teacher, Shirley, who had earned her teaching degree while in Columbus.

In addition to teaching, Dick acted in several local dinner theater productions, including a portrayal of personal favorite Humphrey Bogart in “Play It Again Sam”, and was consistently involved at Prince of Peace Episcopal church, where he served in many capacities during nearly 60 years of family membership, establishing many lasting friendships.

A great lover of audio and video technology, Dick spent countless hours, days, weeks, and years joyfully recording family history and events, including weddings, birthdays, graduations, school productions, and sporting events, becoming very adept at production and editing in the process.

After retiring in 1991, and especially after Shirley’s retirement two years later, he enjoyed working in the yard and on their backyard pond, which included fish, frogs, and all manner of flora and fauna. The couple traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe. For Dick, the highlight was reconnecting with the Purdy family in County Down, Northern Ireland, whom they visited multiple times.

Dick was a great admirer of the exceptional spoken-word talents of Jean Shepherd, John Facenda, Ken Nordine, William Conrad, and Peter Coyote, among others, and was therefore particularly honored to narrate filmmaker (and former student) Jake Boritt’s 2002 documentary “Adams County USA.”

Throughout his life, Dick enjoyed sports of all sorts, particularly baseball and college football. Through triumph or tragedy, no more dedicated Philadelphia Phillies supporter has trod this earth. World Series or basement, there was always tomorrow or next season. Although he didn’t attend many games in the September of his years, he never missed one on TV or radio.

He stayed in touch with high school, college, and Army friends and remained an active supporter of Sigma Chi, his fraternity at Gettysburg. It was not uncommon for him to hear from past students, stretching back decades.

Through the years, Dick and Shirley thoroughly enjoyed welcoming a continuing stream of friends and relatives into their home, whether they came from across the ocean or across the street. The only thing Dick Purdy enjoyed more than his own afternoon cocktail was the opportunity to fix one for a guest. Martini, Scotch, or Irish whiskey, Old-fashioned, Manhattan – he specialized in the classics. He drank the bargain brand; you got the good stuff.

He is survived by his brother, John Purdy, and his companion, Barbara, of Rotunda West, FL; his three children, Richard Mark (Sharon), Marshall Scott (Holly), and Ann L. Beard (David), all of Gettysburg; seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by Shirley, his wife of 70 years, who passed away this past July.

A memorial celebration honoring the life of Richard C. Purdy will take place at Prince of Peace Episcopal Church, 20 West High Street in Gettysburg, at 2 p.m. on January 18. A reception at American Legion Post 202 in Gettysburg will follow.

Memorial contributions may be made to Prince of Peace Episcopal Church. The church is seeding an initiative to establish an educational scholarship fund, honoring Dick and Shirley Purdy.