Jerry Thomas Purdy was born on April 1, 1945, to Jesse and Clare (Cody) Purdy in Kansas City, Missouri. In addition to his mother, he was preceded in death by his beloved sister Jeannine Wolf, and his brothers, Bill and Mike.

Jerry graduated from the University of Missouri on an Evans Scholarship for golf caddies, a sport he loved throughout his life. He enlisted in the Army in November of 1966 and served honorably until June of 1968. Afterwards he moved to Chicago for work, and there met the love of his life, Louise Virginia Marchese. After four months of dating, Jerry proposed to Louise, she said yes, and they went on to celebrate 55 years of marriage together.

Jerry became a follower of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at the age of 32 while involved in a prayer group in northern Virginia. With very little fatherly influence, it is a testament to his faith in and obedience to God that he became a most loving, caring, and selfless husband to Louise. God enabled him to apply these same principles as a father to Mark, Noelle (Scott Nestlebush), John (Anna Pow ell), Matt (Kristen Gillan), and Megan (Kevin Bowman). God continued to use him to welcome and walk alongside his ten grandchildren, Owen, Madison, Ashley, Baxter, Ava, Lucy, Catherine, Lizzy, Victoria, and Ally. His eyes lit up with joy and love every time he saw his grandchildren and whenever he was able to spend time with them.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, Jerry sought to live each day for his Lord and Savior by the empowering grace of the Holy Spirit. He was quick to find joy in and give thanks to God for so much throughout his life. Family members recall him many times saying "thank you, Lord," in a quiet prayer of thanks and praise for everything from daily walks, beautiful weather, meals with his family, listening to his favorite music, or reading a good book.

Jerry was a prolific reader, and was often reading many different books at the same time. His favorite books were about who God is and what He has done for us in Christ, and he was always eager to share words of encouragement from what he had read with those he loved.

As a young man, Jerry was an athlete who enjoyed playing a variety of different  sports and teaching them to his children and grandchildren. As he grew older, he enjoyed watching sports on television, including March Madness basketball, The Masters, track and field, ice skating, tennis, and much more.

Most of all, Jerry enjoyed spending time with his family, people from his church (both current and past churches), getting to know the people he encountered in his neighborhood and community, and talking about Jesus.

Jerry's soul is now with Jesus in heaven, waiting for the resurrection when Christ returns. If he could speak for himself in this eulogy, he would say to each reader to consider the fact that, according to Romans 3:23, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." He would say, consider Jesus, especially his words in John 14:6, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Since all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and no one can come to God except through Jesus, it is Jesus who bore God's wrath on the cross for our sins. He was "pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). Jesus defeated both sin and death, and has made a way for us to come to him through faith; "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved" (Romans 10:9–10).

Finally, Jerry would say to those who are hurting and grieving by his death right now, that for those who are in Christ, while we mourn for him for a time, we do not mourn as those with no hope, but as those with hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13).  Knowing that Jesus has defeated sin and death, and is coming back someday to push back the curse of sin and death once and for all, and to restore God's creation to how it was intended to be: free from sin, sickness, pain, and death, we know that "weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning" (Psalm 30:5).

We will remember Jerry—beloved husband, father, Grampop/Peepaw, son, brother, elder, church member, veteran, and friend—every time the birds are singing, geese are flying overhead, we watch the sunset at the beach, hear beautiful music or sing encouraging hymns, or find a golf ball in the grass. And we look forward to the day when we will be with him again in glory, gathered around the throne of grace, singing "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was and is and is to come" (Isaiah 6:3).

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to Harvest Point Community Church's Reach 360 fund, @ https://hpcc.com/reach360 ,which supports H.P.C.C.'s building fund, global missions, and church planting ministries.