West Lebanon, NH – 1st Sergeant, U.S. Army, Randy Dale Purtteman, 73 died Saturday, October 12, 2024 at his home in West Lebanon, NH after a long battle with cancer connected to his service to our county.  He was born October 24, 1951 in Los Angeles, CA the son of Dale Joyner and Bonnie Farren.  He started working part time in the logging industry while still in high school.  Randy was full of "hell" and getting in trouble, so he quit school and enlisted in the US Army, "the best thing I ever did".  He found direction and focus in the service and spent the next twenty years stationed around the world serving our country.  His work ethic and common sense helped him quickly move up the ranks.   He liked the military, did very well and was extremely thankful he had made that decision in his late teens.  Randy retired from the military in 1991 and went to work for a wrecker company in New Jersey.  It wasn't long before he changed from driving wreckers to long haul over the road truck driving. His experience in and around the wrecker business, both when he was younger and throughout his military career, made it was a natural move for Randy to start his own wrecker business.  He owned and operated his wrecker service for many years before going back to long haul trucking.  His most recent employment was with DeCato Brothers Trucking.  His "service connected" health issues forced him into early retirement.

Randy said 'I was decent Truck Driver, a fair to middle-in husband, a damn good wrecker operator and a true believer in God!"

He is survived by his wife of twenty-three years, Roberta Lynn Dickinson children, Matt Joshua, Emily, Rachel, and Gavin, several grandchildren, and several siblings.

At his request he will be buried at the Vermont Veteran's Memorial Cemetery in East Randolph, VT with "no fan fair".  A memorial service and life celebration with military honors will be held at a later date.   Condolences may be left for his family at an online guest book at www.knightfuneralhomes.com