Royce Pruit

Royce "Booger" Pruit, 75, of Garden City, died Monday, January 21, 2013, in a Sterling City nursing home. Graveside funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM, Thursday, January 24, 2013 at the Garden City Cemetery, Garden City, Texas. He was born September 13, 1937, in Lovington, New Mexico and married Beverly Cox June 8, 1956 in Lovington, New Mexico. Royce came to Garden City from Penwell and graduated from Garden City High School. He started working as a Deputy Sheriff for Glasscock County in 1958 and was appointed Sheriff in 1962. He retried in 2008 after 47 years and was the longest serving Sheriff in Texas and the United States. He also served as the Glasscock County Tax Assessor Collector. He was a member of the Sheriff's Association of Texas and was a Baptist. Survivors include his wife, Beverly Pruit of Garden City; one son, Van Pruit and wife, Delores of Stanton; eight grandchildren, Coty Pruit, Becky Pruit and Lindy Pruit all of San Angelo, Shawn German of Stanton, Staci Kunkle of Greenwood, and Cassie Paranuk, Melissa Meador and Troy Deiterman all of Waco; ten great-grandchildren; two sisters, Donna Kay Lawton of Greenwood, Arkansas and Iretta Pruit of Odessa; and two brothers, Dick Pruit of Spencerville, Oklahoma and Donald Pruit of Fort Worth. He was preceded in death by his parents, Anne and Chester Pruit; one son, Lonnie Pruit; three sisters, Eunice Rowe, Ollie Harwell and Joyce McFarland; and three brothers, Roy Pruit, Bob Pruit and Tommy Pruit. The family suggests memorials be made to Sterling County Nursing Home, P. O. Box 46, Sterling City, Texas 76951. Arrangements under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Big Spring. Online condolences can be made at: www.npwelch.com