Alfred Luther Purrington III

Born on August 31, 1933, he was the son of Alfred Luther Purrington Jr. and Nella Grimes (Ward) Purrington. Al attended Ravenscroft School and graduated from Woodberry Forest School in 1951, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1955 and Harvard Law School in 1961. Al served in the US Navy from 1955 to 1958 on the USS Dyess and remained in the Naval Reserves until his honorable discharge as Lieutenant Commander in 1972. For over 40 years, Al distinguished himself as attorney and counselor at law and member of North Carolina State Bar, practicing law with various firms including Purrington & Purrington, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice and Purrington Moody Weil LLP. Over the years, he was a member of the Wake County Bar Association, North Carolina Bar Association and American Bar Association, actively participating in the Business Law Sections and Committees on Small Business and Legal Opinions.

Al was baptized and confirmed in Christ Episcopal Church and was a faithful member of the parish over his 82 years, serving as Clerk, Junior Warden and Senior Warden multiple times during his five terms on the vestry. In recognition of his service, he was awarded the Christ Church Cross in 2009. He represented the Christ Church parish many times as a delegate to Diocesan Convention, which elected him to multiple terms on the Standing Committee and Diocesan Council. He led the campaign to raise funds for the Diocesan Conference Center at Browns Summit and chaired nominating committees for the election of Bishop Estill and Bishop Curry. He served for many years as Chancellor of the Diocese and in 2006 received the Bishop’s Award in recognition of his service to the Diocese. He represented the Diocese at the National Convention of the Church multiple times and served for many years on the Board of Directors of the Episcopal Church Foundation.

Al served on the Board of Directors of United Way of Wake County (1977-1989) and the United Way of North Carolina (1984-1990). Al also served as a director of Triangle Land Conservancy, Raleigh City Museum, as a trustee of the North Carolina Literary and Historical Association Endowment Trust, as president of Wake County Phi Beta Kappa, as president and a director of Penick Village in Southern Pines, and as a member of the Raleigh History Club and the North Caroliniana Society.

Al is survived by his wife of 52 years, Suzanne Townsend Purrington, three children: Alfred Nicholas Purrington (Jacinda Isley), John Vietor Purrington (Elizabeth Anderson) and Elizabeth Purrington Alley (John Granville Alley, Jr.), seven grandchildren: Alfred Luther Purrington, Charles Nicholas Purrington, Jackson Vietor Purrington, Edward Anderson Purrington, Sally Townsend Purrington, Elizabeth Smith Alley and John Grimes Alley, sister, Nella Purrington Fulton, brother, John Ward Purrington, and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, May 2nd at Christ Episcopal Church. Family will receive friends after the service at Haywood Hall.

Those wishing to do so may make contributions to Christ Episcopal Church, 120 E. Edenton Street, Raleigh, NC 27601 or to the charity of their choice.

Arrangements by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, Saint Mary's St., Raleigh.