Donald "Don" Louis Purio

Donald Louis Purio passed away peacefully June 15th, 2023. He was just a few months shy of his 87th birthday and boy did he pack so much into those years!

After leaving Santa Barbara high school in 1954, he joined the Marines and stayed until 1956. He married Betty Jean Mowry in 1956 and they had Kenneth Louis in June 1958. Don was very proud of his son and helped him through many years of professional bowling.

Don started his first drywall business, Coast Drywall, in 1964 and he hung Sheetrock up into his mid-50s. He was the owner of the Yankee Clipper bar in Santa Barbara & the Mine Shaft bar in Sacramento throughout the '70s and what stories he would tell of bar life!

He became a general contractor in the 1980s and finally moved up to Klamath Falls in 1994, to be closer to his mother and sister. Don's life here in Klamath flourished by many accounts. He is responsible for building over 200 homes in the Klamath Basin. His drywall and insulation company, Don Purio Inc, is a well known establishment in this town.

He married Linda Norris in June of 2012. His last years were so full of love and adventure with her!

He had a passion for horse racing and could be heard all across the sports book hollering for his pony. He was a lover of dogs. He was a generous and kind, fair and colorful, funny man who will be missed by oh so many! His mother, Josephine Fernandez, preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife Linda, son Kenneth (Cheryl) Fernandez, stepchildren Jesse (Charlie) Fleek, Casey Norris and grandchildren Huntley, Bridger, Natalie and Nolan, sister Joanne, several nieces and nephew and this author- "office girl" Melissa Hoss. She will miss him immensely. A service will be held Sunday, June 25th at 2:00pm at the Klamath County Fairgrounds. Reception to follow immediately. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Klamath Animal Shelter.