LINFIELDER JOHN PURYEAR, 1942-2023, Rest in Peace

LINFIELDER JOHN PURYEAR, Rest in Peace

FACEBOOK POSTINGS below about the death on May 25, 2023, in Sacramento, Calif., at age 81 of Linfielder John B. Puryear of Elk Grove, Calif.

He graduated from Linfield in 1969, and went on to teach and coach boys’ basketball at Pacifica High School (West Pittsburg, Calif.) and Mt. Diablo High School (Concord, Calif.)

Born 1/24/1942 (apparently) in Fayetteville, Fayette County, Tennessee, and died 5/25/2023 in South Sacramento, Calif. He was a 1964 graduate of Jefferson High School in Portland, Ore.

Nolan Mendoza on May 26, 2023, via Facebook
Bidding a sad farewell to a great man at MOUNT DIABLO HIGH SCHOOL AND PACIFICA HIGH SCHOOL.. teacher and coach, John Puryear ("J.P.").....R.I.P. MR.PURYEAR HE PASSED AWAY THIS MORNING

 

(Linfielder) Dale Newhouse on May 26, 2023, via Facebook
Proud to have been a friend and college (Linfield) partner. Excellent example of what Linfield expects of their graduates. God bless and rest in peace

Larry Hicks on May 26, 2023, via Facebook
Sad news. John Puryear, teacher and basketball coach at Pacifica and Mt. Diablo died Thursday night at Kaiser Hospital-South Sacramento. He was 81. John was even tempered and a terrific role model. He showed great patience to knuckleheads like me and along with other teacher/coaches such as Bill Matson, Charles Anderson, Sal Sino and Ron Remington were central in helping me grow as a person and athlete. He will be missed. RIP. Please share this on the Mt. Diablo page if you are a member there, too. — with Larry Estes and 15 others

Terrillynn Kopitar Costa on June 20, 2023, via Facebook
Mr Puryear's Celebration of Life 6/17/23 @ La Plazuela w Pacifica Spartans. Beautiful music, beautiful people, for a great Coach & Teacher. You are missed by many, bless your precious soul. — with Mike Costa and 2 others

 

Cheryl Seymour Gerber on June 19, 2023, via Facebook
More pictures from Saturday night at La Plazuela Restaurant for Celebration of life of John Puryear, teacher and coach at Pacifica High School, West Pittsburg, Ca. 1955-1976 and Mt Diablo High Schools! — with Mike Costa and 6 others

 

Larry Hicks on June 19, 2023, via Facebook
Nice gathering in Antioch Saturday evening to celebrate the life of John Puryear, teacher and coach at Pacifica High School, West Pittsburg, Ca. 1955-1976 and Mt. Diablo HS. Fond memories of the coach and good vibes seeing former classmates. — with Alex Dongallo and 3 others

 

NOTE: The 1950 US Census shows John B. Puryear (listed as “Johnny B. Peryear”) at age 8 in Fayette County, Tennessee, with his parents and siblings. Census says he was born in Tennessee. His father’s name was Rehobath Puryear. His mother was Betty M. Puryear. Both also born in Tennessee as were John’s siblings at the time. It’s a guess John was born in Fayetteville, Fayette County, Tennessee. Still have not figured out when the Puryears apparently moved from Tennessee to Portland, Oregon. During WWII a lot of people/families moved to Portland, Ore., and, across the Columbia River, to Vancouver, Wash. A major employment need was work in in the shipyards. However, the Puryears were in Tennessee in 1950, after the war was over. Perhaps they moved to Oregon because other family members moved there before them?