David William Purcell

David William Purcell, age 82, of Denver, Colorado, died peacefully on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2014, after a long illness. Born in Chicago, Illinois on April 16, 1932, he was the son of William Bliss Purcell and Maureen Starkey Purcell.

David grew up in Chicago and on his family's Tomika Farm near Zanesville, Ohio.  His family spent part of every summer at Fall River Lodge in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.  As a boy, he loved mountain climbing, music and baseball.

David graduated from the Mercersburg Academy in Mercersburg, Ohio in 1949.  He earned a bachelor's degree (Phi Beta Kappa) from Denison University in Granville, Ohio in 1953 where he was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. In 1956 he received his J.D. degree with honors from the University of Texas School of Law (Order of the Coif).

He served in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps at Fitzsimmons Army Hospital in Denver, Colorado.

David worked as an attorney for Sinclair Oil Company in Midland, Texas and then pursued a career as a Development Director for educational institutions, including Union College in Schenectady, New York; Southern Methodist University Law School and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Texas.

He was an avid singer in barbershop quartets for more than 50 years and had a fine tenor voice.

He is survived by his daughter Heather Purcell Leja of Denver, Colorado.

Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Friday, April 25, 2014 in Koch Funeral Home, 216 S High Street, Freeport, Ohio. A graveside service will be held at 11:00am featuring the Chordial, the Cambridge (Ohio) Barbershop Chorus in Greenmont Union Cemetery where Pastor Dave Koch will officiate.

Memorial contributions may be made in David's memory to the Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center, 1325 S. Colorado Blvd. Suite 701, Denver, CO 80222.