Roy "Red" Pruitt

Roy "Red" Pruitt

Roy Kennith “Red” Pruitt was born on June 2, 1939 in Spartanburg, South Carolina to Charles Noah Pruitt and Juanita Gillette Pruitt. He passed on Friday, November 27, 2021. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Barbara Jean Pruitt, his brother Gary Donald Pruitt, and his son Bryan Charles Pruitt.
He is survived by his wife, Hazel Kuykendall Pruitt; daughter, Karen Pruitt Oden; son Matthew Kenneth Pruitt and wife Amy of Longview; grandchildren: Holly Oden McAfee and her husband Travis of Houston; Clayton Jublain Oden of Austin; Blake Alexander Aaron of Carthage; Daelon Kenneth Pruitt, Piper Janelle Pruitt, and Paisley Jane Pruitt of Longview; great-granddaughters: Brooke Elizabeth McAfee, Ashley Cade McAfee and Lauren Abigail McAfee of Houston; son in law Paul David Oden of La Grange; sister in law Nita Pruitt and nephews Christopher Daniel Bryan Cole and Charles Noah Pruitt II of North Charleston, brother in law Gene Kuykendall and his wife Joyce of Grand Prairie.
Red was raised in North Charleston, South Carolina where he enjoyed success as a teenager in light and bantamweight boxing competitions. He later joined the Air Force which brought him to Ft. Worth, where he met the love of his life, Hazel. They were married on August 9, 1958 and continued living in Ft. Worth for several years, where they welcomed their first child, Karen. In 1962, the young family returned to Red’s hometown, where they lived for the next 12 years. During this time, they were members of the North Charleston Church of Christ, and enjoyed being surrounded by the Pruitt family as well as Hazel’s niece Louise Kinsey Rux and her husband Sonny. There, they were also were blessed by the births of Matthew & Bryan. In 1974, the family returned to Texas, where Red found his beloved view on Lake Cherokee. After many years as a foreman in industrial construction, Red opened Pruitt Ironworks. The shop originally focused on welding repairs and producing small fire pits and ornamental iron pieces. Soon, Red’s industrious nature and creative energy led him to create his signature Texas smokers. He utilized the knowledge gained in his training as a boilermaker to make BBQ pits. In recent years, Red savored retirement at the lake - fishing, birdwatching, planting vegetables, and just enjoying the view. He always remained a child at heart, and his greatest joy was having his family gathered and feeding everyone. We thank God for our time with Red, for his gift of wit and laughter, and his generous spirit.


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