Davis County Commissioner Gerald A. Purdy was eulogized Thursday as a giant of a man with an appetite for life. Purdy, 63, died Monday after suffering a heart attack five days earlier.
His longtime friend, fellow commissioner Gayle Stevenson, said Purdy, who had suffered previously from heart problems, knew time was against him and threw himself into life."He compressed all the good things in 63 years of life, more than most people could do in 100 years," said Stevenson.
The funeral was attended by several hundred, many former professional associates who came in from around the nation.
Noting his years of public service as an educator, coach and politician, Stevenson said that "a giant has been taken from among us."
Purdy was an assistant principal and coach at Davis High School, served three terms on the city council and two as mayor of Kaysville, and was elected county commissioner in 1990.
He also served on numerous state and national educational advisory boards including a term as president of the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
"He was a real professional," said Scott Thomson, retired executive director of the NASSP. "When we use that term in our business, it means he always put the interests of students and fellow educators first.
"Jerry just had his head screwed on right," said Thomson. "People listened to him."
Several speakers noted Purdy's wit, appetite for life, and his appetite in general.
"He loved life, both the serious and the silly," said Spencer Kinard, whose friendship goes back more than 30 years to when he tried out for the high school track team being coached by Purdy.
He characterized Purdy as a man of compassion who helped many people, most often anonymously.
"He took the most pride in affecting people's lives for the better, as a teacher and coach, as a family man, as mayor and county commissioner, he's affected a whole spectrum of the community," said Kinard.