Douglas Lee Purvis

Douglas Lee Purvis, a longtime resident of Ambler, Pennsylvania and, recently, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, passed away June 19th at the age of 80 with his wife Nancy by his side. Born in Philadelphia, August 30,1945, he was raised in the Roxborough section of the city and resided in the greater Philadelphia region his entire life until relocating to southern New Mexico in 2016 in support of his wife’s participation in the founding of a medical school in Las Cruces.

At the age of 7, Doug joined the acclaimed, former, Boy Choir at St. Mark’s Church in center city Philadelphia, singing soprano under the direction of Wesley A. Day. He sang there for many years, eventually succeeding his older brother, Ralph, as tenor soloist and a member of the St. Mark’s Men’s Choir. A devout Episcopalian, who always referred to Jesus Christ as his hero, Doug sang in several church choirs over the years. At the time of his death, he was an active member of the St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church Choir in Las Cruces, NM. His service to the church included ten years as resident sexton of Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church in Ambler, PA and later as a member of Trinity’s vestry. He also sang in various community groups in southeastern Pennsylvania, and particularly enjoyed his years with the Ambler Choral Society.

Doug was a proud 1963 graduate of Roxborough High School, where he played leading roles in musical productions such as The Red Mill; The Desert Song; and My Maryland. At Roxborough, he set all-city records running the low hurdles as a member of the track team. In 1974, he received a BA in Anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania. He enrolled in graduate courses in Anthropology and Management for several years before matriculating into Penn’s graduate program in Historic Preservation in 1985. He was instrumental in facilitating the 1984 certification by the Philadelphia Historical Commission of ‘the Temple’ (now Temple Performing Arts Center) at Temple University.

In 1966, Doug was hired by the Dept. of Anatomy at Penn’s School of Veterinary Medicine as a Laboratory Course Preparator, advancing to Laboratory Supervisor in 1973. His anatomical preparations – often of particularly challenging structures and typically outstanding quality – have contributed to educating generations of Penn Veterinary students. He went on to join the University administration and returned to the Veterinary School as its Director of Facilities Management in 1988, a position he held until his retirement in 2006. During his time in Veterinary Facilities Management, he initiated and oversaw countless projects both at the urban campus in Philadelphia and at the rural large animal campus, New Bolton Center in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

During the Vietnam era, Doug served in the US Air Force Reserve from 1966 to 1972. He attained the rank of Sergeant, supervising and working as a carpenter in a civil engineering unit and as an air policeman.

Doug was interested in everything. Also affectionately known as ‘Mustang Douggie,’ he relished driving his 5.0L Mustang GTs and, before becoming ill, would be seen most Saturdays detailing his current car before heading out for a weekend spin. He was captivated by playing complex video games and building highly detailed models and was a science fiction aficianado. He passionately enjoyed nature, especially the New Jersey shore and the Adirondack Mountains of New York. As a Penn undergraduate, he took great pleasure participating in paleoindian archaeological excavations where he could enjoy the outdoors while working in a team uncovering evidence of ancient cultures in eastern Pennsylvania and central New Jersey.

A beloved and dedicated husband and father, Doug was an unfailing supporter and advocate of his family members, celebrating and enabling their aspirations and successes while quietly remaining in the background and supporting their growth. He accompanied his wife on many professional trips and his photographs of upper Pleistocene human fossils appear in scientific publications.

Although suffering from chronic illness at the time of his move to New Mexico, Doug soon found that he loved the southwest. He embraced its rich culture and welcoming people, particularly the community of Las Cruces, where he was blessed with a true sense of belonging. Always surrounded by beloved pets, his unabashed favorites included two non-releasable eastern gray squirrels, both of whom were cherished family members for many years. Doug will be remembered for his great love of animals; his intellect, artistic creativity and remarkable tenor voice; his integrity and unfailing devotion to his faith, family and friends. He will be greatly missed.

Doug is survived by his wife of 42 years, Nancy Minugh-Purvis; sons Christopher Cull Purvis and Alan Douglas Purvis; daughter Elizabeth (Beth) Jane Minugh Purvis (Skylar DeWeese); a granddaughter, nephew, nieces, grandnieces and grandnephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Ralph Henry Purvis Sr. and Elizabeth Noyes Boyd Cull; brother, Ralph Henry Purvis, Jr; and sister, Elizabeth Jane Allen.

A memorial service is scheduled for 10am, Saturday, August 29th at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Las Cruces, New Mexico and will be available via live-streaming on Meta. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Music Fund at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 518 Alameda Blvd., Las Cruces, NM 88005; Prairie Dog Pals, PO Box 14235, Albuquerque, NM 87191; or a charity of choice would be gratefully appreciated.