Larry Purvis

Larry Marwin Purvis, 80, of Mount Vernon, Iowa, died on January 21, 2026, at his longtime home of Hallmark Care Center in Mount Vernon.  Memorial Service: 2 p.m. on February 6, 2026, at the First Presbyterian Church of Mount Vernon.

Larry is survived by his daughter, Rebecca (Erick) Mally, and his grandson, Jacob Mally of Cedar Rapids.  He was preceded in death by his parents, several siblings, and his granddaughter, Audrey.

Larry was born on August 21, 1945, to Glen Dale Purvis and Thelma Peak in Evergreen Park, Illinois. Larry spent his life as a soldier in the US Army, a teacher and a business owner, including founding and building the Bijou Theater in Mount Vernon (originally called the Odeum).  Parkinson’s Disease forced Larry into early retirement, but he never complained of the disease, preferring to spend his retirement gardening, watching movies, and providing music to his neighbors at Hallmark.