Adults: Grandmother Maggie Van Horn Purdy, son, Theodore, daughter, Clytie, with husband Irvin Bettag behind, Grandfather Milton Dewitt Purdy, son, Milton Jeremiah, my Mom Dorthy Bell Dixon Purdy, and seated, my Dad, Lemuel Monmouth. Children on left: Robert and Connie (Clytie), me Alfred D, on Dad's lap, Darrell at his knee, Julian behind, and Paul in Mom's arms. I had a sore foot from stepping on a garden rake, which completely pierced it.
DAD AND GRANDMA PURDY
They were true pioneers in every sense. With Grandpa Purdy driving,they left South Dakota some time before 1910 in a Springfield covered wagon with the two older brothers . They crossed the midwestern plains, traversed the badlands of Oklahoma and drove all the way across Texas to end their journey in La Porte Texas.
MOM AND DAD
Mom (30 Sep 1908 - 27 Feb 1989) and Dad (30 Aug 1900 - 2l Jun 1994) They were married in 1925, and raised six boys, all during the height of the depression. Dad worked his whole career as a Ford automobile mechanic and Service Manager, in Harrison, Arkansas until his retirement in 1965. Mom was a housewife and mother, who also worked to supplant the family income. Her greatest pleasure was fishing, and after retirement she and Dad were on the lake at every opportunity. The inscription on their headstone (at her request) says simply, "GONE FISHIN"
MOM THE FISHERMAN
Rainbow trout taken from Bull Shoals lake in early 1970. The boys like to brag, but in truth, Mom caught nearly all of them. From the left, Larry, Pat, Mom, myself, and Jim.
