Donald Richard Purdy, 1925-2012

Daily Iowegian – 30 October 2012

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   GAHANNA, Ohio — Donald Richard Purdy, 87, formerly of Centerville, passed away on Oct. 13, 2012, in Gahanna, Ohio, at the home of his son, Richard L. Purdy.
  Donald was born June 22, 1925, in Jerome, to Henry and Edith (Dooley) Purdy. On Sept. 23, 1944, Donald married Vera Beatrice Riggle.  Donald accepted Christ and was baptized at the Chelsea Christian Church in Kansas City, Kan.
  Donald was a worker. At an early age, he started working with his dad and brothers in their family-owned coal mine. He continued working at the mine until its closure in 1945 when the war ended. Don worked at Wrights Hardware in Seymour. He did factory work at plants in Moline, Ill., and in Kansas City, Mo. Don was employed by the Kansas Turnpike Authority. After graduating from Sales Training Institute, Don sold heavy equipment in Kansas. In 1970 Don quit sales to work for the city of Lawrence, KS, as their City Supervisor over sanitation. Then Don left city life. He and wife Vera bought and operated a marina on Leavenworth County State Lake in eastern Kansas. Donald sold the marina and retired in 1980. 
  Donald attended Jerome and Promise City public schools. Donald graduated from the Sales Training Institute in Kansas City, Kan. 
  Donald was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Robert and Francis, his sisters Ellen Anderson and Ruth Matley, his daughter Donna Jeanette, and his son David Edward. 
  Donald is survived by wife Vera Beatrice (Riggle) Purdy; brother David Edward Purdy; son Richard Leslie Purdy and wife Wilma; grandchildren Donnie Edward Purdy and wife Tina, Linda Purdy, Christina Louise (Purdy) Cutshall and husband Ronald, and Cynthia Yvonne (Purdy) Hatch Hendricks and husband Shawn; 14 great  grandchildren; and special cousin Lois Scully. 
  Donald enjoyed camping with his family. He was an avid fisherman who spent much time on the water. A member of the Lawrence Gem and Mineral Club, Don was a rock hound who enjoyed doing lapidary work. Donald attended Christian church services. He was a member of Sertomas and participated in their community services. 
  Visitation will be a one-hour memorial service at the Lange Funeral Home & Crematory in Centerville starting at 10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 19, followed by a graveside service at the Jerome Cemetery at 11 a.m. Memorials may be made to the Jerome Cemetery or to Circle of Friends in Chariton. Pall bearers: Cameron Hatch (great grandson), Linda Purdy (granddaughter), Shawn Hendricks (grand son-in-law), and Larry Anderson (nephew).  Condolences may be shared online at www.langefh.com.

In the Good Old Days When Coal was King

Centerville Daily Iowegian - 8 February 2003

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By Ethel Lira, Correspondent

  The Purdy Mine that was located near Jerome sported a double drum hoist and while much of the equipment was mechanized, there was still a lot of "pony power" used to hoist the coal from the bottom to the top and deliver it to customers.

  The miners had a definite pride in their ability to load "a little more" coal, lift "a little more: bottom, etc., than their fellow miners working alongside. Each miner was, in his own way, an environmental expert. They all wore carbide lamps down in the mine for safety reasons. If the flame fluttered or went out, it was a sign to get out NOW, as the air was bad.

  They were engineers because they had learned how to undercut the coal so it would fall for loading and to listen to the cracking of the coal walls because it would often mean that it was preparing to "fall" and, in the local mining history, many miners were seriously injured in not recognizing these sights and sounds. Some even lost their lives and limbs in these accidents.

  Miners became accountants be could they could, over time, know almost to the pound exactly how much coal had been loaded on the mine cars taken to the top. These were hoisted, weighed and dumped into waiting wagons and trucks for shipment.

  The Purdy Mine was another family operation Henry Purdy came to the area as a baby when his father, Frank, migrated from England. Henry's sons, Francis, Bob, David and the youngest, Don, all worked down in the mine from an early age. 

  The original mine was sunk circa 1930 on Walnut Creek, west of Jerome. An old hoist cleaned up the mine, let down to reverse and to ... upon the bottom. Ponies were used underground to pull the coal cars from the miner's places to the hoist to be pulled to the top. The mine closed in 1946 as the three oldest boys had been called into military service by the draft, leaving Don at home at that time.

  He suffered a serious accident when the gas and oil he was carrying down the slope was accidentally spilled and caught fire from the flame of his carbide lamp.

  When his draft number was called soon after, he reported and was sent to the induction center, only to be refused due to the fact his burns had not healed properly. He recalled the doctor examining him, stating, "My, what are they sending me now? This man is carrying serious injuries." Don was told to go back home and report again in 36 months.  By that time, the war was over.

  During his mining career, he found himself being a jack of all trades. He operated mining machines, shoveled behind the machines, loaded coal, operated hoists and, on down days when the mine wasn't working, he would clean up the mining ... grease mine cars and do other maintenance.

  No one thought much about youngsters working in the mining industry at an early age.  "It was a way of life. Just the way it was." He worked around the mines from the age of six. The family of eight consisted of his parents, four boys and two girls. Everyone had a part to do and they did it.

  With the start of World War II and the drafting of able-bodied men, there were not enough experienced miners to keep the mine profitable and it closed in 1946 with the young men seeing more rewarding employment elsewhere. Don moved to Kansas City where he obtained work at the GM motor plant on the assembly line. Later working as the head of sanitation for the City of Lawrence, Kan., then operated a boat marina with his wife, Vera. He underwent open heart surgery in later years and returned from Texas to Centerville May 2002.

  (During this interview, Don and Vera Purdy, graciously opened their photo albums and boxes of coal mining artifacts to share. The photos tell a tale of the coal mining industry in Appanoose County. While it was back-breaking work, those miners who worked underground had a great deal of understandable pride of their efforts. Because of this, many meals were prepared on coal fired cookstoves and home were heated in the cold winter months, keeping the family comfortable.

Henry Purdy, 1887-1968

Centerville Daily Iowegian- 19 January 1968

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  Henry Purdy, 80, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 17, at Kansas City, Kans., following an illness of several months.

  He was the son of Frank and Margaret Purdy and was born in New Castle, England, coming to America with his parents when 14 months of age. He was the last of a family of 11 children.

  A former Seymour resident, Mr. Purdy mined coal and was operator of the Purdy Coal Co. west of Jerome. They moved to Kansas in 1954.

  Survivors include his wife, the former Edith Dooley; four sons, Dave and Don of Kansas, and Bob of California, and Francis at Newton; one daughter, Mrs. Paul (Ellen) Anderson of Moline; 21 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. One son died in infancy and one daughter, Mrs. Ruth Mattly, passed away in 1962.

  Funeral services will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. from the Christian Church in Seymour. Interment will be in Jerome Cemetery.

Robert Henry Purdy, 1916-1987

Ocala Star-Banner [FL] - 9 March 1987

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  Fort McCoy -- Robert Henry Purdy, 70, Fort McCoy, died Saturday [7 March 1987] in Fort McCoy.

  He was born [27 October 1916] in Jerome, Iowa and came here from San Mateo, Calif. five years ago.

  Mr. Purdy was a retired airline mechanic with United Airlines and member of Fort McCoy United Methodist Church.

  Survivors include his wife, Lilly M. Purdy, Fort McCoy; three step-sons, Paul Erickson, Minnetonka, Minn., Leonard Erickson, Milan, Ill., Richard Erickson, Kansas City, Mo.; 2 stepdaughters, Ruth Mock, Pleasant Valley, Iowa, Sharon Frank, Moline, Ill.; three brothers, Francis Purdy, Newton, Iowa, David Purdy, Kansas City, Kan., Donald Purdy, Sunterville, Iowa; a sister, Ellen Anderson, Moline, Ill.; 22 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

Margaret "Ellen" Anderson, 1918-2001

Quad-Cities Online - 8 January 2001

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  Services for Margaret "Ellen" Anderson, 82, Moline, are 10 a.m. Wednesday at Wendt Funeral Home, Moline. Burial is in Rose Lawn Cemetery, Moline.

  Visitation is 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to First Evangelical Free Church, Moline, where she attended, or WDLM Christian radio station.

  She died Saturday, Jan. 6, 2001, at Trinity Medical Center, Rock Island.

  She was born April 9, 1918, in Jerome, Iowa, the daughter of Henry [Purdy] and Edith Mae Dooley. She married Paul L. Anderson Aug. 14, 1935, in Centerville, Iowa.

  She was a former Girl Scout, Cub Scout and Brownie leader, and was also active in the Pioneer Girls' Club and in all school activities (PTA, etc.).

  Survivors include a daughter, Edyth Hogan, Davenport; sons, Larry Anderson, Bettendorf, and Robert Anderson, Davenport; eight grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; brothers, David Purdy, Donna, Texas, and Donald Purdy, Hemphill, Texas; and several nieces and nephews.

Purdy Boys Leave....Mine Closes Again.... For Air Force Duty

  For the second time in 10 years the Purdy coal mine east of Seymour is closing down while "the Purdy boys" go off to military service.  This time, however, all the mine machinery is being sold and the mine will close for good.

  The mine, sunk in 1932, was once the heaviest producer of coal in the Wayne-Appanoose county area, and even recently employed a full crew of 24 men.  The mine had been in continuous operation since 1932, except for two years during World War II when the sons of Henry Purdy were in the army before.

  Robert Purdy left Friday for duty as a radar repairman in the Air Force, and his brother, David, who was recalled at the same time, has been classified as a flight engineer trainee.

  The other Purdy brothers will seek employment in midwestern industrial centers as soon as the final closing of the mine is completed.

  William Morrow, who left with the Purdys, was the only one of the trio who was in the air corps in World War II.  He also has been classified as a flight engineer trainee with the 90th Bombardment Wing, which consists of B-29 and B-50 bombers--now called "mediums."

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  From an unidentified 1951 newspaper clipping in the files of the American Legion Post #180 in Seymour, Wayne County, Iowa, microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah in 1990 and contained on FHL US/CAN Film 1672979.

Obituary: James Purdy

Semi-Weekly Iowegian - May 1909

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  James Purdy was born at Beckworth, Northumberland County, England, March 10, 1877, and died at camp 1, near Boulder Col. May 25, 1909.  Aged 32 yrs. 2 mo. and 6 days.

  James had been a resident of this county since eleven years of age, until about seven weeks prior to his death, when he went to Colorado and was employed by the Eastern Col. Power Co.  While driving team up the mountain he scratched his limb on a rock which resulted in blood poisoning. Two operations were performed and finally the limb was amputated.  His death being partly due to the shock of losing his limb.  The body arrived at Jerome Sunday, May 30.  Funeral services were held at 1 o'clock Monday afternoon, from the Believers hall, where he has been a faithful member for the past three years, and was conducted by Rev Moffett of Centerville, assisted by W W White of this place.  The remains were laid to rest in the Jerome cemetery.

  He leaves a father, mother, one brother and six sisters to mourn his departure, all of whom were present at the funeral, except two sisters and mother.  He also had a great many friends who will miss him.  Quite a large number of people from Rathbun and other points were present at the funeral.  The bereaved family have our sincerest sympathy.

  God in his wisdom has recalled,

    The boon His love has given;

  And tho the body, slumbers here,

    The soul is safe in heaven.

One Son Dead and Child in Hospital

Semi-Weekly Iowegian - 27 May 1909

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  Jerome, May 27 -- Word was received here that James Purdy died at Boulder, Colo. Tuesday noon from blood poisoning, resulting from a light scratch on limb.  The body is expected on the evening train.  His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Purdy, went to Davenport last week to have their little child operated on for appendicitis.  Mr. Purdy is expected home today.