Michael Charles Purcell was born August 31st 1929 in Bell, California. Michael passed away Friday, February 7th 2014 at his Laguna Woods home under hospice care. Michael had six loving children with Janet Purcell. Michael was survived by James Purcell, Richie Purcell, William (Bill) Purcell, Kathy Purcell, Ann Purcell, and Johnny Purcell, eleven beautiful grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.

Michael will forever be with us in spirit and in our memories.

He was a very driven man who always worked very hard to achieve what he knew in heart was right. He devoted his senior years contributing to a community in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico that needed a man like my grandfather who established a clinic dedicated to provide medical services for the poor and disabled through his charitable organization Doctors of Charity. He founded the Doctors of Charity in 1994, which is when he discovered his true calling and greatest passion of wanting to make a difference by leaving a positive imprint in this world in any way that he could. He expanded the Doctors of Charity into other countries such as in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam where he helped infants, children, and elders that had been exposed to Agent Orange, and in Bangkok, Thailand where he built a clinic in the poorest part of town for a Monk who cares for the people who suffer from AIDS and in various other parts of Mexico where he built an irrigation systems to prevent the flooding of a convent in Tecate and purchased a home for a loving family of five with three very loving little girls that cherished him for his compassion.

Michael was an explorer. He traveled through India and met Mother Teresa in Calcutta which he reflected upon on a regular basis. In fact in a letter he wrote to his children and grandchildren he included a quote from Mother Teresa herself which read "If you are kind and charitable, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives, be kind anyways. You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God only."

He was a free spirited man who loved the ocean, the sky and the earth and explored this world time and time again encountering new adventures and loving people. When he traveled he took the time to stop and talk with people to learn about the community and culture of foreign lands. Lands and oceans that he traveled both while in the Navy and during his philanthropic adventures.

He served our nation fighting for America's freedom of choice, religion and to lead life as an individual. He served on the USS Floyd B. Parks a Gearing-class navel destroyer ship until September 1947.

Although Michael may not have been a politically outspoken man he did have his passionate beliefs and convictions about honesty, modesty, gentleness, charity and morality.

"The legacy he has left, strong and beautiful, will carry his torch for further generations to inspire others, with love and understanding. He will truly be missed, but his presence will always be there, like the vast oceans to protect us all."

Lastly, here's a few of Michael's last words in a letter he wrote to his family:

"I am now finishing the journey and from now on the gifts of eternal happiness await me, which the Lord, the just Judge, will award me on that day.

And "As this life comes to an end, some have turned away from me. May it never be held against them, for God forgives all."

My heart goes out to each and every one of you with feelings of love. Be kind to all.

Father, Grandfather, Humanitarian,

Michael Charles Purcell

God bless ~