Obituary of Harold Dean Pruitt

Harold Dean Pruitt, age 86, passed away on September 21, 2024, in Ardmore, Okla. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at 2:00PM in The Chapel at Griffin ~ Hillcrest Funeral Home. Interment to follow at Provence Cemetery. Harold was born in Hobart, Okla. on October 03, 1937 to Henry Clayburn Pruitt and Alice (Caudill) Pruitt. As a young boy, he sadly lost his dad in a car accident and his mom later married Earl McCannon, who helped raise him as his own. Upon graduation, Harold enlisted in the US Navy on Nov. 4, 1955. He met his wife and lifelong partner, Audrey Emily (Massera) Pruitt in Alameda, California and they married on July 28, 1957. After receiving an honorable discharge from the Navy in 1959, the couple moved to Hobart, Okla. where he worked for Safeway Foods. In 1970, they moved to Ardmore and opened the Comet Café in which they joyfully served its patrons for decades. Their passion for the food service industry expanded to also owning/operating Anastasio’s Italian Restaurant and a Wine/Spirit’s store. The couple decided to retire in 2016 and enjoyed numerous cruise ship excursions and spending their Saturday nights square dancing. Harold’s life was full of adventures from a young age, farming and raising cattle to stock car racing. His passion was his time spent with family outdoors and on the water; camping, fishing, waterskiing, hunting, and riding motorcycles. Above all else, his greatest joy and proudest accomplishment was the life he shared with Audrey and the family they created together. Harold was preceded in death by his parents Henry, Alice and step-father Earl McCannon, son Ricky Pruitt, and brothers, Gene Pruitt and Jerry McCannon. Harold is survived by his wife of 67 years, Audrey Pruitt of Ardmore, Okla., children; Albert Pruitt of Dallas, TX and Lisa Jean Layton and husband Rex of Ardmore, Okla. Six grandchildren; Shane, Michael, Courtney, Robert, Jeron, and Kimberly. Ten great-grandchildren; Silas, Alice, Wyatt, Dalton, Dylan, Kirsten, Mikayla, Nathan, Addison and Kayden, sister-in-law Linda McCannon, and many other extended family members. Visitation will be 6:00PM-8:00PM, Monday, September 30, 2024, at Griffin ~ Hillcrest Funeral Home.