"G" Pruitt

Lewis

"G" Pruitt Lewis passed away on Saturday, November 26, 2022, with his daughter by his side.  He was born in Blanchard, Oklahoma, on December 8, 1933, to Georgia Porter "Port" Lewis and Dora "Dode" Agnes Cobb Lewis.

He spent the majority of his life in Blanchard.  A portion of his childhood years was spent in California so that Port could work as a welder on warships.

Pruitt was a 1952 graduate of Blanchard High School.  After graduation he worked at Luther Ward's grocery store and for a construction company.  In 1953 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served until 1957 with a total discharge from the service in 1961.  He was assigned to the USS Klondike as an electrician's apprentice.  The ship was a fuel tender ship with the primary responsibility of fueling aircraft carriers and destroyers.   He received commendations for good conduct and was recommended for reenlistment.

On June 12, 1959, he married Betty Binyon.  Betty and Pruitt were married for 53 years until her passing in 2012.  Together they had one daughter Lizabeth Jane Lewis.

Pruitt worked at FAA, Tinker Air Force Base, and O.G. and E.  In the fall of 1965, he started college at OCLA (now known as USAO) and graduated in the fall of 1969 with an elementary education degree.

He taught 4 ^th grade at Blanchard Elementary and also served as principal from 1969-1972.  He worked as an instructor at the Postal Technical Training Center.  While working he attended night school and got a master's degree in education administration from the University of Oklahoma.

He served as superintendent of Blanchard Schools from 1977-1979.  Then he worked for five years as superintendent at Falls Lakeview Schools.  He returned to the postal center and went on to work for Norman Schools.  He was principal and assistant superintendent at Bridge Creek Schools.  He retired in 1996 after serving as principal at Dibble Elementary School.

Pruitt was inducted into the Blanchard Public Schools Education Foundation Hall of Fame in 2016.  He was a member of the First Baptist Church, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Blanchard Alumni Association, and USAO Alumni Association.  He was the most loyal fan of the Blanchard Lions and could remember games and plays from way back when.  His greatest source of pride was being the third of ten children born to Port and Dode Lewis and serving in the Navy.

He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law Lizabeth and Maurice Armstrong, Blanchard; grandson Alden Lewis Armstrong and his wife Kayla, Blanchard; sister-in-law, Fern Lewis, Elk City;   sister, Letha Richey, Moore; sister and brother-in-law, Pansy and Travis Hackney, Blanchard; brother and sister-in-law Joe Bailey and Shelly Lewis, Blanchard; sister and brother-in-law, Olga and Jimmy Smith, Moore; brother and sister-in-law Dee and Leesa Lewis, Blanchard; sister and brother-in-law Toni and Lloyd Moore, Norman; brother-in-law and his wife Richard and Cindy Dugger, Oklahoma City; numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Betty, his in-laws G.W. and Evelyn Binyon, brother Bronell Lewis, sister Geraldine Lewis, brother-in-law Edward Richey, sister and brother-in-law June and Frank Coshow, sister-in-law Patsy Dugger, brother-in-law Eddie Binyon, great niece Alli Rose King, and nephew Dennis Dugger.

Funeral service for Pruitt will be held at 2:00 PM, Tuesday, November 29, 2022, at the First Baptist Church of Blanchard.  Burial will follow in the Blanchard Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Blanchard Public Schools Education Foundation or the Blanchard Alumni Association. Arrangements are under the direction of Eisenhour Funeral Home of Blanchard.  Online obituary and guestbook are available at www.eisenhourfh.com.