Obituary of Michael J Purdy

Michael John Purdy, 57, passed away as God called him home on Tuesday, September 25, 2018 after a valiant battle with kidney cancer. He was the beloved husband of Kerri Purdy; proud father of Jack, Julia, and Gavin Purdy; son of Terrence and Janice Purdy; brother of Christine Jana and Stephen Purdy; son-in-law of Carl and Audrey Klepper; he is also survived by many adoring family and friends whose lives were impacted by Mike.

He was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. He attended the University of Western Ontario, where he studied Economics and played rugby. He was a devoted member of the Saracens Rugby Club. Upon graduating, he worked for the Bank of Nova Scotia as a Senior Trader in Toronto and New York City, where he eventually became a proud U.S. citizen and patriot. He then worked for Commerzbank for 15 years as North American Treasurer of the bank. He served as Chief Investment Officer and Head of Treasury in the Middle East at Saudi Investment Bank, Ahli United Bank, and the Commercial Bank of Qatar, where he fondly spent the last three years of his career. These positions brought him wonderful family memories of worldwide travel and international friendships. He built an incredible legacy across the banking industry as a generous, decisive, and intelligent leader. Throughout these years, he created beloved memories with his family on vacations to Florida, Canada, and Nantucket, along with memorable summer trips to explore Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt, England, and Dubai. Michael loved golf, rugby, ice hockey, and travelling. He was a devoted supporter of the Special Olympics and various U.S. Military charities. Most recently, after the passing of his two cherished English Labrador Retrievers, he developed a love for dog rescue with his wife and children as a volunteer for Eleventh Hour Rescue and Desert Hound Express. He made an everlasting impression on all who met him. He was generous, intelligent, funny, selfless, and thoughtful. His favorite place was at home with his family, who he loved unconditionally and wholeheartedly. He will be remembered most for his tremendous sense of humor, passion for creating incredible memories for those he loved, and his love for his family. 

His life will be celebrated at Bailey’s Funeral Home in Mendham, NJ at 8 Hilltop Road from 4-7 p.m. on Saturday, September 29, 2018. All who knew and loved Michael are welcome to attend. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Eleventh Hour Rescue in his honor.