Jack S. Puryear was an all-around Stormy Petrel and graduated with a bachelor’s in education.
Puryear was president of his freshman class, captain of the freshman football team, president of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, business manager of the Yamacraw yearbook, high point man of intramural athletics, and a member of the Lord’s Club, the O Club, Blue Key honor society, and the inter-fraternity council. He was named to the 1937 Who’s Who in American Colleges, two-time (1934, 1935) (145lb class) intramural boxing champion, and a two-time cross country champion (1934, 1935). He was also named a Little All-American. In 1936 his classmates voted him ‘cutest boy’.
After graduation, Puryear returned to his hometown of St. Petersburg, FL to serve as director of parks and recreation, where he stayed until retirement decades later. Puryear pioneered youth sports, parks, and neighborhood recreation centers in St. Petersburg. He only ever took a break from the parks and recreation department to serve in the US Navy during World War II. He was stationed at Pearl Harbor for 14 months.
Later in life Puryear served the Southeastern conference as a football official for 15 years. He was a member of the First Baptist Church and Squires Club, and president of the Quarterback Club and the Downtown Exchange Club. He and his wife Virginia had two adoring nieces. Puryear passed away at age 80 on August 19th, 1993 after a battle with Alzheimer’s.
Today, a 42-acre park at 62nd Avenue NE and Foch Street in St. Petersburg is named in his honor.
