Mike Purdy

My condolences to the Purdy family. I knew Mike in high school. He was smart, sincere, and accomplished. He was voted Student Body President because he was the good, honest man you would trust to represent you. As I recall, he also was member of the varsity football team as a sophomore, which was rare. I, along with his other classmates admired him. He set an example for the rest of us to live by. God Bless Mike Purdy.

I am a retired Purchasing administrator from a local school district. Mike's training and training documentation was critical to my success. As my career started I sought out training offered by Mike. As my career advanced I contracted with him to guide my peers and those who I mentored. Mike's training helped my school district to have clean audits for over 22 years. God bless you and your family. He was a wonderful man.

I met Mike at an NIGP Forum. We connected right away. We stayed in touch and often compared notes on our teaching and speaking gigs. He helped me promote my book and was very supportive when I started my business. I´m so grateful that I got to meet Mike. He was a generous and kind person. He will be missed. May he rest in peace!

Mike was a great guy, a credit to our profession, and a true gentleman. His impact and contributions are felt across the country. We are all better for having known him and will miss him.

Mike and I when I too had a beard.

Mike was an amazingly brilliant, yet humble, man. All of us Washington State public sector contracting folks owe him a great deal of respect and awe. He was the gold standard, the one person that we could all turn to for the best possible advice on public sector contracting of all types.
I worked in Seattle for 22 years as the Public Works Consultant for the Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC). My principal focus was purchasing and public works contracting advice and training for local public agencies. When Mike started his consulting business, he graciously volunteered his time and expenses to a highly successful series of MRSC sponsored training workshops spanning several years and numerous locations across Washington State. One time, we even did our presentation before an audience of Audit Managers from the State Auditor Office (SAO). (I still have the coffee mug from that day.)
Mike´s engaging personality, humor, and obvious mastery of (even arcane) public sector contacting issues easily made his portion of the training the highlight of each workshop. I remember one slide in particular. It showed a huge cabin cruiser with a dinghy hanging on its back. The dinghy was labeled `Original Contract´ and the cruiser was labeled `Change Orders´.
What was also obvious is his faith. In reading his obituary, I was intrigued, but not surprised, to find that he had obtained a Master of Divinity degree. What was surprising to me was his change of career to that of a successful presidential historian. In my estimation that reveals the ultimate depth of his intellect.
In conclusion, Mike well deserves the ultimate accolade, that of his Heavenly Father: "Well done, my good and faithful servant!"

I've know Mike since high school - where he was always such a humble, elegant guy. I remember thinking that way about him even then when we were so young, which is a true testament to his character. Truly a fine human being. In more recent years I reached out to him and we shared great exchanges about life, illness and politics. He will live forever in my memories as that same humble, elegant guy who inspired so many of us. RIP Mike.

When Mike was student body president at UPS (University of Puget Sound), I was the chairman of campus films. My desk in the ASB office was behind Mike's, but separated by a partition. He was often there in the morning before classes began, and we would speak briefly before both of us headed off to our classes. Mike was a sincere and fair-minded guy, and we very occasionally did favors for one another. I'm very sorry to learn of his passing but nevertheless honored to have known him. He certainly led an exemplary life.