Elizabeth Pruitt, nee’ Jackson, was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on October 19, 1921 to the late Arthur and Anna Jackson.

Red, as she was fondly called, received her formal education in the St. Louis Public Schools, with continuing education at the Cortez Business College in Chicago, Illinois. At an early age Elizabeth joined Christ Southern Mission Baptist Church under the pastorate of Reverend Herman Gore, Sr. and became one of the first Junior Ushers to work with the Senior Ushers of her church.

Elizabeth was involved with the organizing of the City Alliance and Missouri State Junior Ushers Organization in addition to being the first Junior Usher to represent Missouri in the National United Church Ushers, Inc.

The love for her country incited her to join the Women’s Army Corps, leaving with an honorable discharge. She then moved on to Chicago where she then joined the Olivete Baptist Church with Dr. J. H. Jackson as Pastor and once again continued her work on the Usher Board. Dr. Jackson appointed her to a job with the National Baptist Convention as Office Secretary of the Department of Evangelism. She worked with Dr. W. C. Trotter and the Southern Baptist Convention traveling throughout the country in this capacity for ten years.

In later years she returned to St. Louis due to her mother’s illness, accepting her job as Office Secretary-Clerk for the Laborers Local Union #53 and worked there until her retirement. During that time she also joined Amvets Post 72 and became Adjunct Secretary. After a while she joined Post 67 under Commander Morris Hawkins where she became the first woman to be elected as Amvets 9th District Adjunct Secretary. While in that position, funds were raised as a community effort to award scholarships to needy senior high school students throughout St. Louis and St. Louis County.

She was also a member of the “Day Care Center” Social Club, the St. Louis Ameners Circle and the National Idlewilders in addition to several other committees and community projects.

Elizabeth parted this life on July 12, 2012. She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Lee Pruitt, and her sons, Gerald & Richard, and her daughter, Yvonne. Elizabeth is survived by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She also leaves to cherish her memory two sisters-in-law,Theaha McClendon (Willie) & Renee Smythe, two devoted friends, Sammie Page & Ruby Fortson, and many relatives and friends.

(Funeral Program: Elizabeth Pruitt)