Obituary

Donald Ray Purtle, a lifelong resident of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, passed away peacefully on January 13, 2026. Born on January 21, 1931, in rural Cedar County, Missouri (near El Dorado Springs), to Ezra Elvin Purtle and Golden “Skip” (Leonard) Purtle, Don grew up with strong Midwestern roots. As a teenager, his family relocated to Lee’s Summit and later to Longview Farms, where he attended Grandview High School and graduated in 1949.

Don first met the love of his life, Dorothy Kreeger, during junior high in Lee’s Summit (before the family moved to Longview Farms). Their connection endured, and they married on September 3, 1949, at the Christian Church at 4th and Douglas in Lee’s Summit. Their 72-year marriage was a testament to enduring love and partnership until Dorothy’s passing on July 19, 2021.

Soon after their wedding, Don served in the United States Navy, during which their first son, Jack Thomas Purtle, was born at Tripler Hospital in the Territory of Hawaii. Following his honorable discharge, the family returned to Missouri—briefly living in Kansas City—before settling permanently in Lee’s Summit. Their second son, James Scott Purtle, was born at St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City.

Don’s professional life reflected dedication and hard work. He held positions at Seal Rite in Fairfax, Westinghouse, and Allis Chalmers before joining the Gas Service Company in 1960 as a dispatcher and digging machine operator. He retired in 1992 after 32 loyal years. Post-retirement, he worked part-time at Berbiglia and the Dale Martin Dodge Dealership in Lee’s Summit, and later volunteered at Powell Gardens, and mowed at Raintree Lake from 1997 to 2015.

A man of many passions, Don had a legendary green thumb, cultivating beautiful gardens and flowers at home. He was deeply committed to community service as a 50-year member of the Shriners (1970–2020), where he helped fundraise through Vidalia onion sales and worked tirelessly at booths selling toys and souvenirs during the annual Shriners Circus at Municipal Auditorium. He served as Scoutmaster for his sons’ Boy Scout troop 264, and coached Little League baseball for nearly a decade. Weekends often found the family at their lake home in Edwards, Missouri, enjoying boating, fishing, and cherished family meals. Don was a faithful member of the United Methodist Church of Lee’s Summit and loved sharing meals with friends—dinners at Perkins Restaurant and breakfasts at Hy-Vee.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, Ezra and Golden (Skip) Purtle-Henton; his brothers, Vernon Leonard, Charlie Purtle, and Ellis Purtle; and his beloved wife, Dorothy (Kreeger) Purtle.

He is survived by his sons, Jack Thomas Purtle (Anne) of Lee’s Summit and James Scott Purtle of Bentonville, Arkansas; nieces Nancy Kreeger-Caudle (Jerry) and Lori (Kreeger) Hartsell; four grandchildren: Michele Long (Andrew), Carrie Wilson (Ben), Lauren Mittendorf (Jason), and Kaitlin Hawes (Alex); and eight great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., a service to follow at 11:00 a.m. with military honors at Langsford Funeral Home, 115 SW 3rd St., Lee’s Summit, Missouri, followed by burial at the Lee’s Summit Historical Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are kindly requested to Wounded Warriors, Shriners Hospitals for Children, a local scout troop, or the United Methodist Church of Lee’s Summit. Don lived a full, generous life defined by family, faith, service, and a quiet love for the simple joys—gardens in bloom, time on the lake, and laughter with those he held dear. He will be profoundly missed.