Updated: 06 Sep 2009

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PURDIN, L. B.
Sapulpa Herald, Creek Co., OK
08-28-1950
Photo

A 25-year-old Sapulpa student at Oklahoma A & M College was killed two miles northeast of Marland early Sunday morning when the car in which he was a passenger went out of control.

L. B. Purdin, son of Mr. And Mrs. W.V. Purdin, 508 S. Hickory was killed instantly and the driver, Paul R. Martindale, was taken to a Ponca City hospital with a broken leg and other injuries. His condition was described as “serious” this morning.

Martindale, who was conscious when highway troopers arrived, said he thought they both went to sleep. He said he was driving the 1949 Chevrolet, which belonged to Purdin, and must have dozed off. The car clipped off two small boxes and hit a telephone pole and a fence post before stopping against a steel fence post at a road intersection.
Purdin was taking Martindale to see his wife who is hospitalized in Ponca City, when the accident happened. Purdin was a senior majoring in forestry at A & M. He had worked two months this summer with the Minnesota forestry service and had returned to school in August.

He and Martindale both belonged to the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at Stillwater.

A member of the First Presbyterian church in Sapulpa, Purdin was graduated from Sapulpa high school in 1943, where he lettered in basketball and tennis, and entered the 82nd Air Borne division.

He participated in the invasion of Holland and was awarded the Purple Heart for his wounds and one Bronze Star for heroism. After his discharge from service, he enrolled at A & M.

He is survived by his parents, one brother, Leon, Baton Rouge, La., and his grandmother, Mrs. Lily Babb, Yukon, in addition to numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

Funeral services will be in the…
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