A Visit with Greg Purcell

From Football Star to La Feria Businessman

La Feria Chamber of Commerce Vice President Greg Purcell returned to his adopted hometown to open his own laundry business and share in community service with the Chamber. His life and how he came to La Feria makes for an interesting story as you will see.

Greg is originally from Corpus Christi, but he got here as soon as he could he will tell you. He arrived in the Valley when he was transferred from Houston to take on the management of the Valley Division of SPEED QUEEN. That was in 1998, and included half of Texas.

He formed the Texas Laundry Service Company to run the Valley division of the 103-year-old company. “What the company is today is a far cry from its beginnings” he said, adding, “SPEED QUEEN LAUNDRY COMPANY began with rocks and washboards–

But with today’s totally new technology , everything in my commercial sales and service division is done by remote control and wireless internet–It’s a whole new world.”

The old La Feria Laundry was one of his customers he explained, and when it came up for sale in 2012 by its owner Steve Bassou, a local realtor, “I couldn’t resist–this was going to be our retirement plan, I told my wife, Angela,” he said, “and she agreed. and that is how we discovered La Feria, now our adopted home town. My wife and I have planted roots here, and we were blessed to find it.”

What about your football career? “I got into football because of my Dad,” Purcell said. “My Dad, Dan Purcell, was coach and Principal at Ray High School in Corpus Christi, Texas for 38 years. From my Dad, I learned the work ethic and discipline necessary to advance in this world. ‘You be on time and don’t talk back–you listen and learn. That counsel has served me well in life and on the football playing field.”

“I got into football after high school when I got a scholarship from the University of Houston,” he said, adding, “what a thrill that was! I played four years for the Houston Cougars. I played the DB (defensive back) position from 1982 until 1986. He paused and chuckled a bit and said: “My claim to fame was intercepting Doug Flutie’s last collegiate pass in the 1985 Cotton Bowl—that was a great game and a great year for the University of Houston football team.”

Our visit with Greg Purcell and this review of his interesting life story from college football star to La Feria businessman concluded with thanks for sharing this information with our readers, and a warm welcome to Greg Purcell and his family to their adopted hometown—La Feria, TX.