Former professor Purvis dies; UA, Fulbright years remembered

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They ended up having to settle for Roy Orbison instead. And calling for someone in Jonesboro to come get them.

In the 1990s, while desperately seeking a vintage photo of Orbison for a studentproduced project, Foley said Purvis walked by carrying a cardboard box of stuff.

“Hey Hoyt, got a picture of Roy Orbison in that box?” Foley asked.

“As a matter of fact, I believe I do,” said Purvis, pulling a black-and-white 8x10 from the box.

Hoyt Hughes Purvis was born on Nov. 7, 1939, to Hoyt S. and Jane Purvis in Jonesboro, according to an obituary provided by Marion Purvis.

Hoyt Purvis got his start in journalism at age 14 doing sports reporting at KNEA radio and then moved on to reporting for the Jonesboro Sun while he was still a student at Jonesboro High School.

He went on to study journalism at the University of Texas where he was elected editor of the Daily Texan newspaper.

While there, he earned his bachelors degree in 1961 and his masters in 1963, both from the University of Texas.

Purvis participated in two exchange programs: the Texas-Chile Student Leaders Exchange Program and a Rotary Foundation Fellowship in France.

He went on to postgraduate studies at Vanderbilt University and then to work as a political reporter for the Houston Chronicle from 1964 to 1965.

He lived and worked in Nairobi, Kenya, and Brussels, Belgium, from 1965 to 1967, then headed for Washington, D.C., where he served as press secretary and special assistant to Sen. Fulbright from 1967 to 1974.

During those years in Washington, Purvis and his first wife, Susan Campbell, had two daughters.

After Fulbright left office in 1974, the Purvis family returned to Austin, Texas, where he served as director of publications and lecturer at the LBJ School of Public Affairs from 1974 to 1976.

Purvis also worked on Jimmy Carter’s presidential campaign. Purvis returned to Washington to serve as foreign and defense policy adviser for Sen. Byrd and deputy staff director for the Senate Democratic Policy Committee from 1977 to 1980.

Purvis returned to Austin in 1980 where he was a senior research fellow at the LBJ School from 1980 to 1982, and took on the role of primary caregiver for his two

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