YESTERYEAR VILLAGE CO-FOUNDER DIES IN WRECK
WEST PALM BEACH — There was usually one place to find Tim Purvis whenever the South Florida Fair was in town.
He’d be at the fair displaying his collection of antique flywheel engines, his sister, Laurie, recalled Monday evening.
Purvis was a familiar face at Palm Beach County events, showcasing antique farm engines and vintage motorcycles, or driving antique tractors with his father at the fair and in annual Christmas parades.
This month, Purvis died doing something he loved — riding a vintage motorcycle and exploring the state’s history and scenery.
Purvis, 65, died at a Tampa hospital on Aug. 5, one day after he was critically injured in a four-vehicle crash in Glades County.
Purvis regularly explored historic areas in northern and central Florida with other motorcycle riders, Laurie said.
According to reports, Purvis was among a group of six riders that day when four of the motorcycles crashed making a turn at County Road 721 — which runs south from the Kissimmee River to the northwest shores of Lake Okeechobee — and ended up in a ditch.
According to reports, Craig Colton, 48, of Fort Lauderale is facing a DUI manslaughter charge
as a result of the crash. He was traveling with a passenger, 43-year-old Nicole Hobin, who also died in the wreck.
Purvis had given up riding motorcycles for many years, a promise he made to his mother after he was injured in a motorcycle crash while in his 20s.
But he took up riding again after their mother passed away about six years ago, Laurie said.
“It was a real love of his,” she said. “He liked the vintage motorcycles . ... He liked the camaraderie (of riding with others). He liked the freedom of it.”
Purvis and his mother, Beverly Purvis, were involved in the founding of the Yesteryear Village, a 9-acre Florida history park on the South Florida Fairgrounds, that showcases buildings and artifacts from 1895 to 1945. He was also active in the Florida Flywheelers Association, an organization that showcases antique engines.
Laurie said her brother shared a love of antiques and history with their father, who collected antique toys, including steam engines.
“My dad and my brother were very close,” she said. “They ran a nursery together.”
Purvis developed an interest in mechanical things at a young age.
“If you had something that needed to be done, Tim would figure out a way,” Laurie said.
A memorial service and celebration of his life are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church at 1003 Allendale Road in West Palm Beach. The service is open to the public.