 Br. Philip Daniel Purtill, OP
Br. Philip worked in the Province doing many of the odd jobs around the houses. He
was born in Truagh, County Clare, Ireland and baptized in the Diocese of Killaloe.
He had two sibling brothers when he entered the Order. He first entered the Irish
Christian Brothers in 1900, but left in 1908 before final vows. He worked as a
janitor and laborer for most of his days until his entrance into the
Dominican Order. He was
51 when he joined the Western Province in California.
Br. Philip served the brothers in our House of
Studies in Oakland when it first opened and in Vallejo.
He had many friends in the Province and outside.
He was particularly close friends with Br. Luke Fox, OP who was also an Irishman.
Sadly, he fell
into dementia and could no longer be cared for by our brothers. He was entered into
the sanatorium at Napa State Hospital in 1955 and died the same year. May God grant
him eternal rest. |
