D. H. Crawford Purdy – 96, Bible Hill, passed away
on Thursday, September 8, 2022 at Colchester East Hants Health Centre,
Truro, due to complications following a massive heart attack. His
passing will leave a terrible void in the lives of those who knew and
loved him.
Crawford was the last surviving member of his immediate
family. He was predeceased by his wife of 70 years, Frances Eileen
(Chisholm); parents, Douglas and Hannah (Crawford) Purdy; son-in-law,
Fredrick Bird; father and mother-in-law, Harvey and Nellie Chisholm;
sisters and brothers-in-law, Mable (Jack) Doucet, Florence (Lloyd)
Ripley, Muriel (David) Sprinks, Olive (Carl) Anderson, Annie and
Thomas Gates; brother-in-law, Chipman Chisholm; sister-in-law, Annie
(Thomas) Gates.
Crawford is survived by his children, Lorna Bird, Truro;
Douglas Purdy, Truro; grandchildren, Jackie Bird (Dwight Newbury),
Newfoundland; Katie (Robin) Goodwin, Woods Harbour, Nova Scotia; great
grandchildren, Owen Goodwin, Heidi Newbury, Leah Newbury;
sister-in-law, Elizabeth Chisholm; nieces and nephews, Willard Ripley,
Muriel Ripley, Heather Seccombe, Albert Doucet, John Doucet, Marie
Barnes, Sheila Doucet, Lynn Gates, Richard Gates, Larry Gates, Cathy
Gordon, George Chisholm, Eddy Chisholm, John Chisholm.
Crawford was born in Shoal Lake, Manitoba. At the age of 12,
after the death of his father on the family farm, he moved with his
mother and four sisters to Truro. He quickly became the man of the
house, looking after his mother and older sisters. He took a position
with, known at the time as Nova Scotia Agricultural College, as a
welder and worked there for 35 plus years. It was there, at NSAC where
he met, and then married, Frances Chisholm, on August 1,
1951.
He was a longstanding member of the former First Baptist
Church, Truro, where he had been very active and served as a Deacon in
the church. Crawford was a member of Bible Hill Fire Brigade for 50
years and he was an honorary member of Colchester Heritage Rug
Hookers, as he serviced their wool cutting machines and handmade the
hooks, used by them.
Crawford wore many hats in his lifetime and was a wealth of
mechanical knowledge that will be missed. He was very good at making
and fixing things with his hands. He built the family a travel trailer
and took them on many vacations, during the 60s and 70s, including
trips to Montreal, Toronto and down into the United States. He loved
gardening and grew fruits and vegetables, raised bees and harvested
the honey; all these things for the family to use and sold to local
stores. He took pride in the vehicles he owned over the years, hand
washing and waxing them weekly, back in the day when that was needed.
He was “Mr. Fix It” for folks in the community who would
bring items to him, hoping he could fix it for them; no job was too
big or too small for him, and he enjoyed folks stopping in to visit
and loved to be kept up to date with the neighbourhood
happenings.
In accordance with Crawford’s wishes, there will be
no visitation or funeral service, however, a graveside interment
service will be held 2 p.m., Tuesday, September 20, 2022, at
Crossroads Cemetery, 110 Salmon River Road, Valley. Memorial
gifts, if desired, may be made to a charity of choice.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Mattatall – Varner
Funeral Home, 55 Young Street, Truro. Private messages of condolence
may be sent to the family by viewing Crawford’s obituary
on-line and selecting “Send A Condolence” at:
www.mattatallvarnerfh.com
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Douglas Herbert Crawford Purdy 1926 2022..
Death notice for the town of: Truro, Province: Nova Scotia