Obituary of Rockwell Purdy

Rockwell Purdy passed peacefully into eternal life on Monday March 25, 2013 at home surrounded by his family. Rocky was born January 28, 1920, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the oldest child of Edward A. and Marry Tyson (Milnor) Purdy. He was raised in Minneapolis, attended Blake High School and Carleton College before enlisting in the United States Navy. Rocky and Fran raised their four children, Becky (Joe), John (Mary), Liz (Dave), and Sarah (John) in the family home in southwest Minneapolis. They welcomed grandchildren John Schmitt and Katie (Steve) Schmitt Cook, Ellie and Bill Purdy, Lindsay Wagner Pronk (Art), Kellie (Curt) and Alex Hord, as well as great-grandchildren Morgan and Curt Jr. Rocky enlisted in the United States Navy in July 1940. He served in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters during World War II and participated in the capture of the German U boat U505, and in the armada standing off the coast of Japan prior to that Nation's surrender. While Rocky was in the service, his father asked Fran McWilliams, one of his employees at Twin Cities Ordnance, to write to his sailor son. She did, and thus began their love story which lasted more than sixty-six years. Rocky and Fran were married on June 7, 1947 in Cherokee, Iowa and made their home in Minneapolis where Rocky was employed first at First National Bank and then at Imperial Financial Services which later became part of the St. Paul Companies from which he retired in 1984. Rocky was a quiet man; he deeply loved "the Island"- that magical place near Bemidji, Minnesota where he spent summers as a child and, later, with his wife and children. During summer vacations they shared his love of water, sun, sailing; walking the paths between the pine, birch, and cedar trees; watching thunderstorms rolling in over the lake. "Up North" was his serenity, and he passed the same serenity on to his children and his grandchildren. Rocky enjoyed listening to jazz, reading, tinkering, grilling great steaks and making his "secret ingredient" Christmas Chex mix. After retirement, Rocky and Fran's love of travel and learning took them to many Elder Hostiles everywhere from northern Minnesota to the British Isles. He and Fran were active members of St. Joan of Arc Church, which they dearly loved for its extraordinary community and its heartfelt love of God. In 2008, after having spent his life as a Minnesotan, Rocky and Fran moved south to Iowa City, Iowa. Here they were close to their daughter, Liz, the nurse in the family. The family deeply appreciates the love and care given to Rocky by the wonderful staff of Melrose Meadows and Iowa City Hospice. Rocky was preceded in death by his parents, sisters, Becky and Prudy, and many relatives and friends.