Lawrence M. "Larry" Purdy

Lawrence Michael “Larry” Purdy, age 51, of Germantown, Maryland, died Friday, June 15, 2018 from a heart attack. Larry was born on March 3, 1967 in Akron, Ohio, the son of Fred and Judy Purdy. The Purdy’s moved to Pinckney, Michigan in 1976 where Larry participated in basketball and track and field at Pinckney High. Following graduation in 1985, Larry attended the University of Michigan, graduating with a BS in architecture in 1989 and did 2-years of post-graduate work, also at the University of Michigan in architecture. Larry’s time at the University of Michigan cemented his lifelong love of the school and was responsible for the most joyous event in his life, meeting, and eventually marrying, Trish Purdy (Patricia Vargo). The happiest years of Larry’s life started when he met Trish on a flight from California to Michigan and bonded over their shared Michigan experience. The two were married on February 25, 2012 in Manhattan Beach, California.

Larry worked for many years in the construction field, including several years in Ann Arbor. Later, Larry started his own business, Yorktown Books, an online bookseller. Through these experiences and his great love of life, Larry connected with many people across the country. Larry had an uncanny ability to maintain friendships with people from every place he lived. Whether it was the friendship he maintained with elementary school chums, his pals from his time at university, or his life in Michigan, Ohio, California, Florida, and Maryland, once you were Larry’s friend he held on to you tenaciously, and you were a friend for life. One of Larry’s great passions was riding motorcycles. While in recent years that had become a less common experience, some of his fondest memories were long distance rides he took with his father. Happily, part of his last day was spent on a 5-hour motorcycle cruise through the hills of California with a good friend followed by a dinner with his wife and friends.

Larry is survived by his wife, Trish Purdy; parents, Fred and Judy Purdy of Grayling, Michigan, his Aunt Betti Jean, Aunt Linda, and Uncle Joseph, his Brothers- and Sisters-in-laws Joseph and Joy Vargo of Temecula, California, and John and Meree Vargo of Germantown, Maryland, and the nephews and godsons he adored Elijah (godson), Noah Lawrence (godson and named in honor of Larry), Samuel (godson), and, nephew, Michael, and a legion of friends, all of whose lives will be a little less brilliant for his passing.

While for the first time in more than three decades, Larry won’t be attending a University of Michigan football game, Larry will certainly be pulling any strings he can to help his beloved Wolverines in this and all future seasons.

A funeral Service will be held at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Friday June 22, 2018 at 10:00 am, with a preceding visitation at 9:30 am also at St. Thomas.

In lieu of flowers, and to honor the memory of Larry, please send donations in his name to: American Heart Association, (donatenow.heart.org) 7272 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX 75231 to help prevent similar instances from happening to other families. Larry would also have loved to see donations going to Canine Companions for Independence, National Headquarters, P.O. Box 446, Santa Rosa, CA 95402-0446. (support.cci.org/‎ ) Larry raised his beloved dog Morgan for this program, and while Morgan unfortunately didn’t graduate from the program, it allowed Larry to keep Morgan in his life and support Canine Companions in other ways.

Larry’s time at the University of Michigan was facilitated by the many scholarships he was awarded. In that vein, a scholarship has been instituted at the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University in his name. Larry would be very proud to know that his name is associated with the University and that his memory was helping other students to achieve their ambitions. Please send donations to Julia Broadway, The Lawrence Purdy Scholarship, Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Michigan 2000, Bonisteel Boulevard, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2069 USA.

Please share a memory of Larry with his family at his online guestbook.