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Lt. Col. Larry H. Pruitt
May 25, 1961 - October 18, 2001
Wide Receiver
Army Lt. Col. Larry H. Pruitt, 40, a former Berwick resident, of 8291 World Den Court, Springfield, VA., died suddenly Thursday, October 18, 2001 at the National War College in Washington D.C.
Born in Berwick, May 25, 1961, he was a son of Robert S. and Elriechia Louise “Rickie” (Hardeman) Pruitt of Berwick.
Excelling in all sports, his football career began playing midget football in Berwick. He went on to become a star player for Berwick High School in the late 1970s. He graduated with honors in 1979. In addition to football, he lettered in basketball and track while in high school.
At Berwick, Pruitt played as a flanker, wide receiver, and defensive back. Following his graduation, he attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he started as a wide receiver for all four years and was a punt returner in his junior and senior years. While at West Point, Pruitt was the leading punt returner in the nation.
Pruitt was recently inducted into the Berwick Area Sports Hall of Fame.
On May 15, 1986, he and his wife, the former Lisa Jackson, formerly of Bloomsburg were married in Denmark.
Pruitt served in the Army until the time of his death. He graduated from the United State Military Academy at West Point in 1983 with a bachelor of science degree and a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Air Defense Artillery.
His assignments included: graduate assistant football coach at West Point; tactical control officer; platoon leader; battery executive officer and assistant battalion operations officer, First Battalion, First Air Defense Artillery Regiment in Spangdahlem, Germany; Assistant Division Operations Officer, Ninth Infantry Division (Motorized) in Fort Lewis, Washington. While at Fort Lewis, he also served as the Battalion Adjutant and Commander C BTRY, Third Battalion, Second ADA Regiment. While serving as Commander of C BTRY, he served in Desert Storm from January to May 1991.
Pruitt was recorder for the Department of the Army Selections Board, U.S. Total Army Personnel Command Headquarters, in Alexandria, VA; Chief of Plans, United Nations Mission in Haiti Headquarters, Port-au-Prince, Haiti; Battalion Executive Officer, Third Battalion, 62nd ADA Regiment, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) in For Drum, N.Y.; Brigade Operations Officer and Deputy Commanding Officer, 31st ADA Brigade, III (US) Corps in Fort Hood, Texas while stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas.
Pruitt commanded the Third Battalion (Airborne), Fourth Air Defense Artillery Regiment from April 28, 1999, to June 1, 2001, in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C. Since August, he had been attending the National War College in Washington D.C.
Pruitt was a graduate of the Air Defense Artillery Officers Basic and Advance Courses, the Airborne and Ranger Schools; Combined Armed Service Staff School; the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, where he also earned a master’s degree in military studies; and the Marine Corps School of Advanced War fighting.
Pruitt’s military awards and decorations included the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with the Silver Oak Leaf Cluster, the Southwest Asia Service Medal with two Bronze Stars, the Kuwait Liberation Medal from the government of Saudi Arabia, the Kuwait Liberation Medal from the government of Kuwait, the United Nations Mission in Haiti Medal, the Senior Parachutist Badge and the Ranger Tab.
Affiliated with the First Baptist Church of Berwick, while living in Virginia, Pruitt and his family attended the Immanuel Bible Church in Springfield.
Still active in his home community, he served as the keynote speaker for a recent Berwick High School Football banquet. He attended as many Berwick High School football games as his schedule would allow.
Pruitt enjoyed all sports, enjoyed playing chess, was an avid reader, and especially enjoyed coaching youth. An avid military man, he enjoyed being a solider and serving his country.
Surviving, in addition to his wife, Lisa, and his parents are his two children: Jessica and Lauren Pruitt and Joshua Laurence Pruitt, both at home. Also surviving are his eight siblings; Mrs. Bobby (Susan D.) Hayes, Berwick; Mrs. William (Patricia A.) Polk, Erie; Robert S. Pruitt Jr., Ephrata; Jonathan A. Pruitt, Berwick; twins Carl L. Pruitt, Nescopeck; and Carla L. Rodenhaver, Berwick; Ronald J. Pruitt, Nescopeck; and a half brother Kermit L. Johnson, Lima, Ohio.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1600 Fowler Ave., Berwick. The Rev. Craig W. Martin, minister of ht First Baptist Church of Berwick, and his friend, Army Chaplain Doug Prentice, will officiate. Burial will be in the Rose Lawn Cemetery, West Front Street, Berwick. Arrangements are under the direction of the Kelchner-McMichael Funeral Home, Inc., 119-121 E. Third St., Berwick.
**Obituary taken from Press Enterprise October 21, 2001**
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