David Gareth Purdon, Sr

David G. Purdon, Sr., of Vidor, Texas, died on Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Beaumont, Texas. He was 86 years old. Services are Saturday, April 4, 2009 at 10:00 am at Memorial Funeral Home of Vidor. Visitation is on Saturday April 4, 2009 starting at 8 am till service time. He will be buried in Restlawn Memorial Park in Vidor, Texas. He was born on May 1, 1922, in Beaumont, Texas, to Ernest Boyes Purdon and Beatrice Shanley Purdon. He graduated from Beaumont High School and, following graduation, joined the Merchant Marines. Four months after America entered World War II a German submarine sunk his merchant ship off the coast of Cape Hatteras and he decided to enlist in the Army Air Force. He served as a radio operator on a B29 bomber nicknamed the Laggin Dragon. His plane transported the Fat Man atomic bomb from New Mexico to the Pacific island of Tinian. On August 9, 1945, Fat Man was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan. After his tour of duty in the Pacific, he was stationed at Wendover AFB, Utah, where he met the love of his life, Nancy Allen. On May 29, 1945, they married in Salt Lake City, Utah, and moved to Provo, Utah, where he managed a business for several years. Following the birth of their fifth child, they moved to Texas. As co-owner of Sabine Sign Company in Beaumont, Texas, until he retired, he met and remained friends with many people in the community. Fishing consumed many hours of his spare time. He was an active member of the IBEW Local 479 and was proud to hire and work alongside union workers all his life. He was also an amateur rock hound and a ham radio operator for many years. Following retirement, he was an avid fan of the Houston Astros baseball team and enjoyed spending time with family and friends.He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Nancy Allen Purdon, sons David Purdon, Jr., and wife, Susie, of Arlington, Texas, and Dana Purdon and wife, Tracy, of Arlington, Texas, and daughters Veva Hollier and husband, Roy, of Port Neches, Texas, and Celia Crowe and husband, Nathan, of Vidor, Texas. Lisa Nations, a daughter, preceded him in death in 1999. He is also survived by two sisters, Joan Phillips, and Marjorie Myers. His parents and two brothers, Geoffrey and Barney, also preceded him in death. He is also survived by nine grandchildren, Melissa Stone of Fort Worth, TX, Stephanie and Michael Purdon ofArlington, TX, Monica Webster of White House, TN, Laura Crowe of League City, TX, and Nathan Crowe, Jr., of League City, TX, Shanna Purdon of Conroe, TX, and Brittany Purdon of Orange, TX, and Misty Robinson. He has 10 great-grandchildren.

Cemetery:
Restlawn Memorial Park 2725 N. Main St. Vidor, Texas

Visitation:
8:00-10:00 a.m. Saturday, April 4, 2009 at Memorial Funeral Home of Vidor, 1750 Hwy 12, Vidor, Texas

Service:
10:00 a.m. Saturday, April 4, 2009 at Memorial Funeral Home of Vidor, 1750 Hwy 12, Vidor, Texas