Robert Eddy Puryear passed away on January 2, 2026. The second of three children, Robert was born on November 27, 1948 to Benjamin Peyton Puryear and Frances Avis Hamlette. He and his older brother John Peyton Puryear and younger sister Debra Lynn Puryear were born in Gardena, California, as their father was stationed in Long Beach as a Navy officer during World War Il. In 1953, the family moved back to their original home of Virginia.

Robert and his siblings grew up in Alexandria, Virginia where Robert excelled in Art and developed a flair for acting in high school. He attended the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and graduated with a degree in Philosophy in 1971. He was known for his tremendous sense of humor- where he could turn a confusing and awkward situation into a hilarious one.After dabbling in various unfulfilling jobs, Robert decided to move to New York City in the mid 1970s to explore his love of acting. There, he met and developed close friendships, many of which continued throughout his life. He lived there for a number of years, finding acting roles in primarily off-Broadway theaters.

Despite being married briefly in the 1990s, Robert primarily spent his time with very close friends he met in both New York and Santa Fe, New Mexico, which he moved to in the late 1980s. While in New York, he obtained certification as a Massage Therapist from the renowned Swedish Institute and soon after moved to Santa Fe with his then-wife Jane and best friend Wayne. He obtained a position at the well-known Spa in the hills of Santa Fe named 10,000 Waves. There he excelled at his craft for 15-20 years, and became a highly sought-after masseuse. During this time, he also pursued small acting roles and continued to love this artistic endeavor.

Robert was a kind and compassionate soul, the sort of person who could make anyone he just met and spent time with feel special and heard. As the saying goes, he never met a stranger, and in his later years, he frequently welcomed people into his home that needed a caring friend.

Robert was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his brother and sister, two nieces (Stephanie and Anjalie), and 3 nephews (Matthew, Daniel, and Joel). He was loved and adored by his family, and especially appreciated by his nieces and nephews, who loved listening to his funny stories, which were frequent and varied.

He will be missed by all those he touched and will always have a place in the hearts of family and close friends.