George Louis Purlia, 100, of Scottsdale, went home to the Lord on Tuesday, May 5, 2015. George, an Arizona native, was born in Miami, Arizona in 1915 to immigrant parents, Ljubo and Georgina Purlia.
George spent his early years working at a local dairy to help his family while he was going to elementary school. He went to work at the Real Market in Miami, Arizona after graduating from high school. IN 1937, he moved with his wife, Irene, to Phoenix where he started a career as a successful businessman. He went to work for Armour & Company as a salesman, traveling to most of the towns in Gila and Pinal Counties. In 1949, George was named top salesman of the year for Armour nationwide and won a trip to Chicago and New York. A short time later, he became manager of Armour’s Dairy and Poultry Division in Arizona. In 1960, George left Armour, and started a poultry distribution business in Arizona for the J-M Poultry processing plant in El Dorado, Arkansas. George’s distribution business soon had offices in Phoenix, Tucson, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. The business was very successful and was sold ten years later to Pillsbury. George served as a general manager in Arizona for five years during the transition from J-M to Pillsbury, and an additional three years during the succeeding acquisition by ConAgra. In 1978, he retired from ConAgra but continued for a few years to distribute turkeys and cheese through his company Prime Brokerage before turning it over to his son, John Michael.
George was proud of his Slavic heritage and co-founded the American Slavic Association in metro Phoenix in 1981. The organization is a 501C3 charitable foundation and has members from many cultures, backgrounds, and skills. It gives generous donations to numerous philanthropic organizations within the state and annually grants scholarships to many deserving students.
George is survived by his daughter, Linda Lairson and his son George Louis, Jr. (Marge), eight grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren, four great-great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Etta Irene, two sons (John Michael and Paul Gordon), one grandson (Christopher), three brothers (Paul, Vaso and Sam) and one sister (Olga). A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm Saturday, May 30, 2015 at Scottsdale First Church of the Nazarene, 2340 N. Hayden Rd, Scottsdale, Arizona 85257.
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