For more than 30 years, Bill Purrington was a fixture to the Business Department at American River College. With his two degrees, he taught political science and business law, although he began the spring semester, he died in his sleep on Jan. 21, just days into the semester.

In his ARC career, he was a Political Science and Business Law Professor, and later dean of Social Science. After retirement, he continued to work as a full-time adjunct faculty.

Barbara Blanchard, dean of computer science and information technology and close colleague said, "I worked with Bill for about 5 years from 97-2002, when I started as the Business Dean in 1997."

Dean of the Natomas Center Whitney Yamamura remembers Purrington as "the last division chair of social sciences, until the late 1970s. At the time, there were no area deans. The

college was divided into divisions with elected chairs."

"They taught 50 percent of the time and 50 percent was administrative work: scheduling, staffing, managing staff, hiring part-time faculty, hearing student concerns... Bill was so popular among his fellow faculty that he ran unopposed throughout the 1970s,"Yamamura added.

As the college and administration of the divisions grew more complex; including changes in the law (Rodda Act of 1975), the Los Rios Community College District created full-time deans.   Purrington didn't want to give up teaching and did not apply for the dean's position and returned to the classroom full-time until he retired.

Purrington was instrumental in hiring Richard McCormac in 1970.   Dr. McCormac later became Dean of Behavioral & Social Sciences, Vice President of Instruction and Interim

President.

"Bill was student oriented," McCormac said.   "Whenever an issue came up or a decision needed to be made he always asked 'Will this help students?' If it did he would be for it, if it hurt students he would oppose it."

One of the last people to see him was Speech Professor David Gamst.

  "I knew [him] very well," Gamst said. "I saw him a few days before he died...[He] was a witty conversationist when we talked in the parking lot. He was a good colleague, friend and was in major committees such as budget and curriculum..."He stayed alive academically." Gamst added that Purrington was "bright, thoughtful and out to help anyone at anytime."

Memorial services were held for Mr. Purrington on Jan. 27, with close family and friends.