David Granger Purinton
Born at Queen of Angels Hospital in Los Angeles, December 10, 1948, David Granger Purinton, was a true California man. He grew up in Downey, California enjoying the beach, surfing and making surfboards. He also loved the mountains and enjoyed many camping trips as a Boy Scout. Artistic as well as outdoor loving, Dave attended Otis Art Institute in Westlake, CA and Long Beach State before being drafted into the United States Army during the Vietnam War. He served two years spending most of his time in Germany and Spain. He received a National Defense Service Medal, and both Sharpshooter M-14 and Expert M-16 before being honorably discharged in November 1971. Upon returning stateside, Dave moved up the coast to attend UCSB where he majored in Chemical Engineering. At the same time, he started working in the plating shop at Applied Magnetics Corp. with DJ Palladino (before The Independent) and Alan Brown (recently retired Sound Engineer Wizard). Dave stayed there until the business closed in 2000, for a total of almost 28 years.
Whenever possible, Dave continued to live outdoors, still enjoying surfing, body surfing, and taking up beach volleyball, at times playing games with Karch Kiraly at East Beach. He added mountain biking to his outdoor repertoire traveling with friend and master body surfer, Jack Lansing, to ride and surf in Baja California or riding throughout Santa Barbara with Dave Ruiz.
Always a lover of American “eats;” Dave met his wife, Diana at Bob’s Big Boy in Santa Barbara in 1980, and “the rest is history.” Highlights of their 38 years together are their two children, Erik and Kira; and winning three wonderful vacations including a trip to the Soviet Union in 1988 (yes, it was still Communist). Dave and Diana were on the first flight direct from the United States to the USSR. The four of them enjoyed many more trips and happy memories together.
Dave was predeceased by his father, Fletcher G. Purinton, his mother, Mary Katherine Dolan (Purinton) Philpot, and his sister Patricia Michelle Haw. He is survived by his wife, Diana Replogle-Purinton; children, Erik David and Kira Elizabeth Rose; sister, Barbara Thiese (Mark); brother John P. Purinton; and nieces & nephews.
David’s family would like to thank the incredible and extremely caring nurses, CNAs, doctors, volunteers and staff at Serenity House where Dave spent his last three weeks. Words cannot express our appreciation. The complications of cancer, diabetes, and additional health issues took their toll, you made the transition easier.
A memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church, 21 E. Constance Ave., Santa Barbara, Sunday, March 25, at 2:00 pm. For more info, please contact Diana at: DianaR-P@live.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Ocean Futures Society (oceanfutures.org), Serenity House Santa Barbara (Visiting Nurses/Hospice; vnhcsb.org), Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation (pcvf.org), or the charity of your choice.