June 27, 1922 – December 6, 2020
William Russell Pruett, 98, of Shoals, passed on December 6, 2020, at the Loogootee Healthcare and Rehab.
He was born June 27, 1922 in Martin County to Joseph Cornelius and Nancy Valley (Spaulding) Pruett. He married Olive Bell Walton on November 29, 1941.
William Russell attended the West Union Grade School and Trinity Springs High School. He was employed at Maxon Construction Company as a laborer and surveyor, was a heavy equipment operator for various companies; was Shop Planner, Facility Inspector, General Planner, and Estimator at the Crane Navel Base where he retired in 1979 with 35 years of service.
He was a proud Veteran of the United States Army, serving in WWII, was a lifetime member of the White River Lodge F&AM #332, a 51-year member of the Washington Chapter #210 of the Eastern Star, the American Legion Post #120 in Loogootee, The Veteran of Foreign Wars #9395 in Loogootee and was a member of the Church of the Cross in Shoals.
Survivors include his daughters, Mary Lynette Bauer of Shoals and Katherina Jo Beard of Sarasota, Florida; one daughter-in-law, Linda Pruett of Denver Colorado; grandchildren Joshua (Rachel) Bauer of Shoals, Jennifer (Casey) Dearwester of Loogootee, Kaili, Kash and Kenna Beard of Sarasota, Florida, Chris Pruett of Evansville, William Trevor of Denver, Colorado, Andrea Lee Pruett and Lane Findley of Denver, Colorado. Several great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews also survive.
He is preceded in death by his wife Olive; two sons, Lonnie Russell Pruett and Kim Hobert Pruett; and twelve siblings.
Visitation will be 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. Sunday at the Queen-Lee Chapel in Shoals. Burial will be at the Indiana State Veterans Memorial Garden in Madison, Indiana.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Martin County Historical Society Veteran’s Room, PO Box 564, Shoals, IN 47581
or Honor Flight, Southern Indiana, PO Box 8234, Evansville, IN 47716
The Queen-Lee Chapel of the Thorne-George Family Funeral Homes has been entrusted with the arrangements.
