| 04/10/05
Melvin Smith
(1963)
melvinsmit@msn.com
|
| Re: Ralph Pruitt has left us. |
| Ralph will be greatly missed on this web site and at the "ole dawgs" get togethers. He'll be remember for his love of local sports, his MAVAHI, Northside, and Martinsville. I consider him a good friend and will miss him. May God hold him in the highest esteme as I do. |
| 04/10/05
Ken Major
(1957)
kmajaor@sitestar.net
|
| Re: Ralph Pruitt has left us. |
Ralph and I connected via e-mail about four
years ago. We spent about four months via
e-mail exchanging common memories of our
adolescence with long messages.
Because of his health, Ralph spent a lot of
time at his computer and a good deal of that
at the Mavahi site. He was the center that
connected the dots of the rest of us of his
Mavahi era. He recently wrote fondly of
departed friends. I believe he is now on
the other side with them at their Mavahi
reunion. Until I join that reunion, here and
at Mavahi.com...there is a hugh void....and
a hole in my heart.
Until I see you there, Ralph...so long. |
| 04/10/05
Ann Minter Been
(1956)
codefive@aol.com
|
| Re: Ralph Pruitt has left us. |
| How the class of '56 will miss Ralph at our 50th reunion next year. He was so happy to reconnect with us at our 45th, and at subsequent "Old Dawgs" events. Much love and deepest sympathy to Jean and family and to Claude, Ralph's brother. |
| 04/10/05
|
| Re: Ralph Pruitt has left us. |
| I WILL MISS RALPH ALSO.....HE REALLY MADE MY DAYS WITH HIS EMAILS...IF ANYONE KNOWS HIS ADDRESS IN PA. ....PLEASE LET ME KNOW....MOIR(JR) HILL.. |
| 04/10/05
Esther Sparks Powell
(1956)
powellrs@kimbanet.com
|
| Re: Ralph Pruitt has left us. |
Ralph's address is:
205 Mowery Street
Mifflin, PA. 17058
Guss Funeral Home in Mifflintown, PA. is handling arrangements. Visitation is Tuesday evening from 7 to 9 and services Wednesday morning at 11 a.m.
(Note: They live in Mifflin, but the funeral home is in Mifflintown.) |
| 04/10/05
Ravern Rakes
(1957)
lrrrakes @aol.com
|
| Re: Ralph Pruitt has left us. |
| I have been communicating with Ralph by e-mail since i had heart sugery last year, he was a big inspiration to me. He will surely be missed by all. The world was a better place with him . May god bless him. |
| 04/12/05
Rhonda Pruitt Stucker
rstu@iw.net
|
| Re: Ralph Pruitt has left us. |
This is Ralph's oldest daughter, Rhonda. Your posts about my dad have touched my heart, and I thank you for them. Dad would be touched too. He often talked about you all in his emails to me; he had the fondest memories of all of you, and Martinsville High School.
With Gratitude,
Rhonda Pruitt Stucker
Yankton, South Dakota |
| 04/12/05
Phil Sparks
(1965)
PhilSparks@kimbanet.com
|
| A proud spirit.... |
Having known Ralph all my life it is a sad time knowing he has been called away. Ralph being older than me, I always looked up to him when I was a kid. He had a great way of boosting you up and making you feel important. I first started emailing with Ralph after he picked up my address off a Vietnam Veterans Site. I think the best things to remember Ralph for is his unshakable loyalty and proud spirit. He was loyal to his family, his friends, the community (especially "Jones Creek") and Martinsville High School. Ralph never shirked from doing his part and I understand he even pitched in to help the Webmaster on this site to scan in many of the Photos available on this site. It is troubling that good guys like Ralph are leaving us much too soon. It is reassuring that good guys like Ralph usually end up helping the real "Master" on his celestial web site. God bless Ralph and welcome him into his eternal kingdom. My prayers are with his wife Jean, all his children and his brother Claude.
Phil Sparks
|
| 04/12/05
Dr. David Sparks
(1962)
cdsparks@rjia.net
|
| Fond Memories of One of the Good Guys |
I grew up on Jones Creek about the same time Brother Ralph came along. He was a few years my senior, but like Phil Sparks said, he was loyal to his family, his friends, the community, (especially Jones Creek) and of course, good ol' Mavahi. Ralph and his younger brother, Billy, were always very kind to me, and I respected and appreciated them as neighbors. Their prowess and ability on the sports fields were something to behold.
We lost contact for a number of years, but what a delight it was to start exchanging e-mails a few years ago. I suppose there is still a "trail" of message exchanges between Ralph and me on the "General" message board of Mavahi.com and maybe the 1956 and 1962 locations also.
To me, Ralph sometimes seemed to be on the defensive about his history, background, and supposed lack of "status" as a "real" alumni. Actually, he was as much (and sometimes, even more so), a genuine, bona fide MHS'er as any cotton-pickin' body I could name, regardless of the graduation year, or the grades they may have completed.
[Please receive what I am about to say in the good spirit in which it is written]: Shucks, Ralph was much more of a ROOTER, BOOSTER, and BACKER of all that dear old Mavahi stood for than all of the thousands of graduates who have NEVER ONCE BOTHERED TO POST AN EMAIL ON THIS WEBSITE or TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE SCHOOL "GET-TOGETHERS" IN THESE RECENT YEARS. Ralph was always consistently and stedfastly A LOYAL SUPPORTER IN BOTH REGARDS.
Yes, Ralph was a good and valued friend and I will certainly miss him. May the Lord bless and comfort Ralph's wonderful family, and may He bless Ralph's memory to all of our hearts.
Best regards to all,
David Sparks (Class of '62) |
