James Wallace Purdom Sr.'s Obituary
Obituary /Eulogy for James Wallace Purdom Sr.
Age: 95
Address: Mesquite, TX
Date of death: October 19, 2022
Place of death: Cambridge Court: Mesquite, TX
Date of birth: September 27, 1927
Place of birth: Van Alstyne, TX
Parents: James Riley Purdom and Amanda Endulia (Brown) Purdom
James Purdom was born September 27, 1927, at his grandparents home, north of the Purdom homestead about six miles north east of Van Alstyne Tx. He was 2 years old at the start of the Great Depression and 12 years old when it ended. He was a talented high school football player and was scouted by an Oklahoma university but chose to serve his country instead.
He joined the Army in February of 1946 and served until June of 1947. In June of 1946 he served in occupied Japan, and he was awarded the WW II Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal, Japan.
From his discharge to 1950 he worked as an ice man and various other jobs in and around Van Alstyne, Tx.
From 1950 – 1957, James worked as a salesman for the Ben E. Keith Co. of Dallas, Tx.
In 1957 he started working for Safeway Stores Inc. as an in-store produce manager. He retired from Safeway in 1987 as Regional Branch Manager of the produce buying department. Before retiring from Safeway, James became their banana expert, working with Dole and Chiquita banana companies. He shipped more bananas worldwide than any produce buyer in the world, earning him the affectionate nick name of Mr. Banana.
From 1990 – 1997 he worked with consultants for the produce growers of Mexico, to bring Mexican produce to the United States and helped to establish the Mexican Banana plantations. He considered this his greatest accomplishment in working in the produce industry.
In 1960 while attending the Lakewood Baptist Church in Garland, TX, James, along with two of his brothers, Joe, and Harold, gave their lives to Christ and accepted Him as their personal Savior and were Baptized. James attended and worked in various churches during his lifetime. He planted a seed in his children that led to their accepting Christ as adults.
James never lost his love for football. When the Cowboys came to Dallas, he spent many afternoons at the Cotton Bowl and Texas Stadium cheering for his favorite team. He also loved photography and was a talented artist, turning many of his landscape photographs into oil paintings.
During his early retirement, James and Sandra traveled extensively in the United States and made one international trip to tour several countries in Europe.
James loved all living things. During his retirement he kept and tended a beautiful yard full of flowering plants. If you visited him, you always received the flower bed tour to see his many varieties of lilies and flowers.
He also loved all animals and birds. James provided food for his feathered friends as far back as I can remember. He also trapped and relocated many small wild animals to areas he considered to be a safer home for them. He gained a great respect for the city of Garland when he learned they did not kill wild animals and turned to them in his later years to help him relocate his furry friends. He also loved cats and provided food and shelter for any feral cat that came to his door.
James was born in a home without plumbing, electricity, or an automobile, as the family still used a horse drawn buggy. Some of his fondest childhood memories were of going to town in the wagon and
reading from the light of a coal oil lantern. He lived to see all those simple conveniences added to his family home, including moving the 100+ year old family home to a new location in the town of Van Alstyne TX.
In his 95 years of life, James lived through the Great Depression, saw the explosion of commercial air travel, the Dallas Cowboys, the Kennedy assassination, man traveling to the moon, personal computers, iPhones, the Dick Tracy wristwatch become a reality and the Covid pandemic. He lived a long and full life but was tired and longed to be with his Savior and family who had proceeded him.
James was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Charlene (Bray) Purdom, of Garland TX, three of his brothers, Joe, Harold and wife Pat (Bray) and Paul, and brother-in-law Ned Ireland, all of Van Alstyne, TX.
He is also survived by two brothers, Frank Purdom and wife Joann of Sherman, TX
Bob Purdom and wife June Gail of Whitewright, TX, sister, Patricia (Purdom) Ireland of Van Alstyne, TX, and sister-in-law, Eddylee (Fulenwider) Purdom of Van Alstyne TX.
He is survived by his wife Sandra Ann (Crouch) Purdom of Mesquite, TX Daughter, Vikki L. (Purdom) Milam and husband Bernie of Garland, TX Son, James W. Purdom, Jr. and wife Sheila of Anna, TX
Daughter, Gale Anne (Burnside) Williams and husband Donnie of Lavon, TX Stepson, Doug Biggerstaff and wife Colleen of Allen, TX
Stepdaughter, Camille (Biggerstaff) Ussery and husband Mike of Garland, TX
Eleven grandchildren; Kelly Purdom, Billy Purdom, Amy (Purdom) Delaisse, Becky (Purdom) Phillips, Jeremy Purdom, Daniel Purdom, Adriane (Purdom) Bowman, Amy (Williams) Moore, Ashley Williams, Heather (Biggerstaff) Marsh and Brittnea (Ussery) Daniel
Nineteen great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren.
He is also survived by two brothers, Frank Purdom and wife Joann of Sherman, TX Bob Purdom and wife June Gail of Whitewright, TX
and one sister, Patricia (Purdom) Ireland of Van Alstyne, TX And many nieces and nephews.
Viewing will be at
Restland funeral home, 13005 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75243
October 26 from 6:00pm until 9:00pm.
Services will be at
Restland Wildwood chapel
October 27, at 10:00am
Funeral arrangements for James Wallace Purdom Sr. have been faithfully entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Cemetery, which is located at 13005 Greenville Ave., at the intersection of Restland Road, Dallas, Texas 75243, and can be reached at (972) 238-7111.
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