Dr. Donald I. Purcell

Dr. Donald I. Purcell, 88, of Paragould, passed away on Tuesday, January 27, 2015, in Paragould, AR. He was born on December 6, 1926, in Rector, Arkansas, the son of the late Elmer Marion and Gurtha Elizabeth Purcell. He is also preceded in death by his beloved wife of 64 years, Lee McKnight Purcell. Don, or DIP, as he was often called by his closest friends, began working during his early childhood at the Purcell Drug Store, owned by his father. His work ethic and determination resulted in him graduating from Rector High School one year early, completing his Senior Year credits during the summer following his Jr. year. At the age of 16, while waiting to be eligible to enlist in the military, he began his college education at the University of Arkansas, where he walked on as a Razorback Football player for a short time. He was also a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. After only a few short weeks at the U of A, a fellow fraternity member, Merl Shoe, asked Don if he was going to take the V-12 test. V-12 was a Navy fast track program that helped pay for school. This program was established because the government did not know how long WWII would last, and they needed to have troops ready. When Don asked when the test was being administered, Merl replied, “Tomorrow at 2pm.” Don told his friend he could not take the test because he had class during that time. Merl explained that those who took the test were exempt from class. Therefore, Don, without preparation, took the pre-med version of the test and passed. He immediately transferred to the University of Louisville in Kentucky, where he completed his undergraduate degree in about three years. He was 19. He obtained his Medical Degree from the University of Arkansas Medical School in Little Rock at the age of 22. Dr. Purcell was drafted by both the Army and the Navy. He served as a physician at the Millington Naval Base, just north of Memphis, TN, for about a year. He then served for another year at Camp Lejeune, a Marine division that used Navy Doctors located in Jacksonville, North Carolina. He was told he could choose to wear a Marine or a Navy Uniform. Dr. Purcell went on to work for 13 years as a General Practitioner in Paragould, AR, and later went back to Medical School in Little Rock where he specialized in Radiology. He worked as a Radiologist for Arkansas Methodist Hospital for close to 20 years. He retired from the hospital when we was about 70 years old. However, he just could not sit still, so he went back to work for various Radiology departments a few weeks later. Ironically, his final place of employment was in Piggott, AR, where he received his very first fee-income as a Radiologist while in Radiology school. Dr. Purcell was always looking for opportunities to serve in and for the community. He served on many different boards and in many charitable organizations. He has been a dedicated member of First United Methodist Church since joining in 1949, serving as an usher almost every Sunday. He served as Chairman of the Board at Security Bank and was a dedicated member of the Arkansas Medical Board. He was an active member of the Paragould Rotary Club, receiving the organizations Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014. He was also a dedicated member of Paragould’s Ambassador Committee and rarely missed a Ribbon Cutting ceremony. He was very proud to be a part of such a great community and loved seeing it grow. He also volunteered almost every Friday at the First United Methodist Church Witt House, a community food pantry. Don was also an entrepreneur, owning, selling and managing various businesses. He was a licensed pilot, an avid golfer, and loved playing bridge, and still played with his club until a few months ago. Don also loved to travel. It was one of his greatest experiences with his wife, Lee. He loved his 21 Club Members and His Tuesday Morning Coffee group like family. Don was also an avid Razorback fan, serving as an active member of the Arkansas Alumni Association and season ticket holder for over 50 years. The Association was so fond of his Razorback attire, they asked him to donate his shoes to their Razorback Museum. Don was devoted to his family, very witty, and like his personal style, complete with various hats and brightly colored pants. He was a unique individual who made those around him feel special and noticed. Dr. Purcell is survived by his daughters and son-in-law: Lee Purcell and her Fiancé, Bob Dahlquist, of Los Angeles, CA, and Paige and Phillip Wooldridge of Paragould; grandchildren: Dylan Purcell of Los Angeles, CA, Berkli and Richard Binns of Bentonville, AR, Brock and Laura Wooldridge of Paragould, Don Tyler Wooldridge of Bloomington, IN, and Joe Dusard of Bloomington, IN; great grandchildren: Clay and Caleb Binns and Luke, Lawson and Collier Wooldridge; and brother Dr. Elmer M. Purcell, Jr. and his wife, Rebecca of Concord, MA. The family will receive friends from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM on Thursday, January 29th at Heath Funeral Home. His life will be celebrated at 1:00 PM on Friday, January 30th at First United Methodist Church in Paragould, AR. Burial will be private. Honorary pallbearers are the members of the 21 Club, Rotary Club, and his Tuesday Morning Coffee Group. Memorials may be sent in Dr. Purcell’s honor to First United Methodist Church of Paragould or the First United Methodist Church Witt House.