Simon H. Purvis Jr.

Celebration of Life for Simon H. Purvis, Jr. , 81, of Lufkin, will be held Thursday, August 21, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Cornerstone United Pentecostal in Lufkin with Bob Flournoy and Pastor Jim Hodges officiating. Interment will follow at Garden of Memories Memorial Park in Lufkin.

Mr. Purvis was born on June 22, 1944, in Lufkin, Texas, to Simon Henderson Purvis, Sr. and Mollie (Miller) Purvis, and he went to be with his Lord and Savior Sunday, August 17, 2025, in Tyler.

Simon was a truly great man among men, because first and foremost, he was a man of God. This made him an exceptional friend, husband, father, grandfather, Marine, brother in the Lord, and a teacher extraordinaire. Simon left our physical presence on Sunday, August 17th, but he is more alive today than ever before. We will cherish our memories until we see him again in Heaven, which will be sooner than we think.

Many of us would not have had the fullness of a life-giving relationship with the Lord without the leadership and teaching of Simon Purvis at the Word of Life Church. His ministry has produced hundreds of Christians who are proficient in understanding the Word of God-the first step in adopting a godly lifestyle. He was a graduate of Rhema Bible Training Center in 1977, and he was clearly anointed by God with the gift of teaching. We were all beneficiaries of his love for and commitment to the inerrant Word of God. As a community of believers, we will deeply miss Simon as a friend and as a spiritual guide.

Simon was a man who just showed up. He didn't wait to be asked; if someone needed a hand, he was already there, his presence as warm as his smile. His laugh wasn't just a sound; it was pure joy, a laugh that made you want to join in. He was a builder in every sense of the word, a testament to God's love.

God was the architect of Simon's life, and Simon was the builder. He built the home his family was raised in, a place where love and laughter were the cornerstones. The prayer group he began in his home grew so large it became Word of Life Church, where he pastored for 37 years. Its very foundation was a reflection of his faith. He was the first to show up for his sons, celebrating their every success and always there to lend a hand. Even when his own health began to fail, his first thought was of them. He chose to delay his own treatment, all for the chance to go on one last trip with his children and grandchildren, creating a final, beautiful memory.

He built a family that grew and grew under his loving eye, a legacy of kindness and strength. He even built his retirement around the perfect plan: to travel with his sons. He loved to joke that it might turn into a "boys' trip" with his grandsons, too. He was ready to go anywhere they were. And he did. He went anywhere his family was.

As we say goodbye, we're not just grieving a loss. We're celebrating a life, a man who built a world of love, laughter, and unwavering support. His journey continues in the hearts of everyone who was blessed enough to know him.

He is survived by his wife, of 58 years, Mary Alice Purvis; son and wife, Trey and Edie Purvis of Lufkin; son and wife, Craig and April Purvis of Lufkin; grandchildren, Taylor Purvis, Kyle Purvis, Madison Purvis, Mason Purvis, Brody Purvis, Lynsey Ruth, and Whitley McFarland; 6 great-grandchildren; sister and husband, Mary and Bill Spears of Lufkin; sister, Maurine Headrick of Lufkin; sister, Betty Johnson of Lufkin; special sister-in-law, Gloria Purvis of Lufkin; along with numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Joy Heaton; brother, Jerry Purvis; brothers-in-laws, Burl Heaton, Godfrey Headrick; Ray Johnson; and niece, Rhonda Keel.

Pallbearers will be Taylor Purvis, Kyle Purvis, Brody Purvis, Mason Purvis, David Purvis, and Jeff Headrick.

Honorary pallbearers will be Madison Purvis, Lynsey Ruth, and Whitley McFarland.

Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Thursday, August 21, 2025, at Cornerstone Church in Lufkin.

Shafer Funeral Home, Lufkin directors.