Missouri Valley College Hall of Fame

Viking

Merritt “Bud” Purpus

Class of 1991

Bud graduated from Missouri Valley College with his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1937.  Bud earned three letters each in both football and baseball.

Following his graduation from Missouri Valley College Bud taught Biological Sciences and coached football at Norborne, and Smithville High Schools.  Bud was also an assistant football coach at William Jewell College.

Bud joined the United States Army in 1941 and served four years in Italy with the 15th Air Force.  Bud received the Air Medal with Four Clusters, two Presidential Citations, and earned the rank of Captain before being discharged.

Bud was employed at Standard Steel Workers in Kansas City from 1944 to 1949 as an assistant sales manager.  In 1950 Bud went to work for Black, Sivalls, and Bryson serving as Assistant President of Operations until 1963.  In 1963 Bud was named President of the Benson Manufacturing Company, a company that produced various products for the United State Space Program.  In 1969 Bud announced his retirement from Benson Manufacturing.