Mr. Otis Dike Purdie

Mr. Otis Dike Purdie, 91, of Fayetteville died Thursday, March 20, 2014 at Carolina Inn.  He was born to David and Alice Purdie of Verona, New Jersey. He graduated from Cornell University as a Chemical Engineer. After three years of Navy service during World War II, one year being in the Pacific on a Landing Ship Medium, he returned to civilian life and was employed by the Dupont Company. First he worked in the company’s pigments plant in Newark, New Jersey. Then he worked in Wilmington, Delaware and Aiken, South Carolina in the Atomic Energy program. He then moved to the company’s plastics plant at Parkersburg, West Virginia. Finally, he transferred to the new plant on Route 87 south of Fayetteville.

In 1947 Otis married married Mary Louise Lawrence whom he had known since high school days. They have four children, Edith, James, Ellen, and Charles. Their grandchildren are Jennifer, Christina, Patricia, and Alice.

Since coming to Fayetteville, Otis has been very active in community affairs. He tutored adults at Fayetteville Urban Ministry and tutored children at Highland Presbyterian Church where he was a member for many years. At the church he also sang in the choir, played handbells, and served as rehearsal pianist for the children’s choirs.

Among his many hobbies were gardening, genealogy, and small boat sailing. He and his wife, Mary Louise, traveled extensively, visiting over a hundred countries on all seven of Earth’s continents. For a time they did scuba diving in many places around the world, taking underwater pictures.

Memorial services will be held at Highland Presbyterian Church on Saturday, March 29 at 11am with visitation immediately following.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Highland Presbyterian Church (111 Highland Ave, Fayetteville NC 28305), The Care Clinic (239 Robeson Street, Fayetteville, NC 28305), or Fayetteville Urban Ministry (701 Whitfield Street, Fayetteville, NC 28306).

Services entrusted to Sullivan's Highland Funeral Service & Crematory, Inc.