Dr. Raymond Pruitt was welcomed into the arms of Jesus June 6, 2010. Ray was born to Jesse and Oma Liza Pruitt in Duncan, Oklahoma, May 6, 1920. After graduating from Comanche High School in 1938, he earned a football scholarship at Oklahoma City University, where he played offensive guard and defensive tackle, a career for which he would be honored by induction into the OCU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1980. Ray drove a maternity ambulance during his college days, earning him the nickname Mother. Ray graduated with honors in 1942 and married Mary Bob White of Oklahoma City, OK. They had four children together and were happily married for 45 years until her passing. Graduate school was put on hold in favor of serving our country in World War II. Ray served in the US Navy aboard the USS Dawson until the end of the War in 1945. Ray continued his academic quest at Northwestern Universitys School of Optometry. He graduated in 1948 and set up a private practice in Chandler, OK. He moved his practice to Oklahoma City in 1960 and had an office in Shepherd Mall until his retirement in 1997. Ray was very involved in the Lions Club, receiving the Melvin Jones Fellow for dedicated humanitarian services as well as the Vision Welfare of Mankind 97 award. Always a sports fanatic, he played and coached softball for decades, winning the Oklahoma State Championship with May Avenue Methodist in 1964 and took the first church team to the national finals. He also coached many successful tournaments at Metropolitan Baptist, where he was an active member and usher for years. Ray married long-time family friend Yvonne Decker in 1993. Yvonne was a wonderful companion and in their later years a faithful caretaker until her passing in February 2009. Ray was preceded in death by both of his wives, Mary Bob Pruitt and Yvonne Decker Pruitt; his brother Roy Pruitt of San Antonio, TX; and sister Ruth Pruitt of Duncan, OK. Ray is survived by his four children, Cindy Slaughter and family of Fort Worth, TX, Bob Pruitt and wife Sonja Pruitt and family of Chattanooga, TN, Leann McGee and husband Dr. Michael McGee and family of Bethany, OK, Lisa Watters and husband Steve Watters and family of Haslet, TX; Yvonnes children, including her daughter Melinda Fitzgerald and husband Bob Fitzgerald of Mission City, TX, and her son Michael L. Decker of Oklahoma City; and 16 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Special thanks to the staff of Epworth Villa for their many years of kind care. Visitation will be held Tuesday, June 8 from 9am-9pm with the family receiving friends from 6-8pm at Mercer-Adams Funeral Service, 3925 N. Asbury, Bethany, OK. Funeral services will be Wednesday, June 9, 10:00am at Mercer-Adams Chapel with graveside services at 3:00pm in Oak Park Cemetery, Chandler, OK.