George Harold Puryear

George Harold Puryear, 90, passed away at Natchitoches Regional Medical Center on the morning of Friday, September 17, 2021 after a short illness. He was born on March 10, 1931 in Mt. Pleasant, MS and grew up on his family’s dairy farm among the chestnut trees he spoke of so fondly. He was preceded in death by his wife, Sally Ann McCrary Puryear, his parents, Rogers and Zallie Puryear, his sisters Susie Mae Kenderdine, Hulene Voyles, Lillian Wilson, and one grandson Luke Dunn. George is survived by his daughter, Sara (John) Dunn, three grandchildren - Jack, Sophia, and Katie; his two sisters, Sarah Minahan of Tampa, FL and Nancy Hoover of Ohio; along with his beloved nieces and nephews and many dear friends, including his girlfriend, Betty Jo Phelps. A longtime resident of Marrero, Louisiana, George lived a full life, with a wide variety of jobs including serving as a soldier in the US Army, an educator in Mississippi, Jefferson Parish and Plaquemines Parish, a stock clerk for Jefferson Parish, and a warehouse manager for Hydril Oil. His family included his wife, Sally, and his loving daughter, Sara Melinda. His love of the arts was passed down to his daughter, who became a professional musician. He also had a deep fascination with the weather, often being the measure for meteorologists who displayed rain amounts on the televised local weather reports. He was an active member of his church, and knowledgeable about many things both great and small. He had quite a gift for remembering dates of things that happened long ago. George was an avid nature lover, who enjoyed taking walks and feeding the squirrels. He had an incredible green thumb (passed down from his mother), and grew satsumas and muscadines in his backyard. He was generous and caring and never met a stranger - he could strike up a conversation with almost anyone. He had a great sense of humor and loved to tell stories or a good joke. George will be laid to rest alongside several generations of the Puryear family in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Holly Springs, MS on Saturday, September 25, 2021 with a graveside ceremony. There will be memorial services at the First Baptist Church of Marrero, LA (his home church) and Trinity Episcopal Church in Natchitoches, LA at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations should be made to First Baptist Church of Marrero, Carey Chapel Baptist Church of Red Banks, MS, the ASPCA, or the American Chestnut Foundation. Arrangements have been handled by Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home, 848 Keyser Ave., Natchitoches, LA 71457