Loanhead-born Jimmy signed up with the Royal Army Service Corps in 1940, and was stationed as a driver in Africa, Normandy and Belgium.
After returning to the Lothians following his military service, he became a proud member of the Royal British L
egion for more than 50 years.
After growing up at his family's home at Goldie Terrace in Loanhead, he started work with local coal firms and became a delivery man – spending many years visiting customers in Edinburgh during his career.
He later moved to start a career with the Straiton Oil & Lime Works, based in Loanhead, where he worked as a labourer and faceman until 1940.
Mr Purdie's niece, Dorothy Purdie, said that her uncle had been very proud of his four years' service and the decades he later spent with the Roslin British Legion.
She said: "He spent a lot of time at the legion club throughout his life and he was very proud of his time spent with the army service corps.
"He was a driver during the war and was over in different foreign lands, helping the war effort and taking vital supplies to the troops. He also spent a lot of time ferrying petrol and guns, so it was a very important job.
"He spent time in Africa and Normandy for four years before returning to Scotland but he was a proud member of the Royal British Legion until he died."
One of nine siblings, Mr Purdie was also a champion pigeon breeder and won a number of medals and honours during his 20s in Loanhead.
He later took up the hobby after moving to Roslin and won more awards following his retirement in the 1980s.
Dorothy added: "He'd been involved with pigeon breeding and racing when he was younger and had lots of certificates and rosettes in the house.
"It was something that he was always fond of and, after retiring from his work with the Roslin piggery and poultry research centre in 1984, he took it up again. Throughout the 1980s, he was still breeding his pigeons and winning prizes for races. After his wife Agnes died in 1982, it was something that made him happy."
Mr and Mrs Purdie were married in 1968, and had no children.
A keen bowler, Mr Purdie was also a member of the Rosslyn Bowling Club and the Roslin Miner's Welfare club, where he spent his twilight years serving as a part-time barman and playing dominoes.
Prior to his death, he fell into ill-health and was confined to a wheelchair, although he still managed to visit the British Legion club with his old comrades.
The organisation said that Mr Purdie would be "missed by all" who knew him throughout his time at the Roslin branch.
The full article contains 504 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
