Michelle Pruitt Connelly

NEWBERRY, S.C. - Michelle Pruitt Connelly, 39, of Newberry, SC died July 30, 2006. She was the loving wife of 18 years of Chad Connelly and the wonderful mommy of her two little boys, CJ who is 9 and Bennett who is 5. Michelle was born in Charlotte, NC and grew up in Dalton, Ga. She graduated summa cum laude from Clemson University with a BA in Administrative Management in 1987. She worked at C & S Bank, then went on to serve as the Alumni Director at USC-Aiken until 1992, when she retired to work full time with Chad in the family business. As an entrepreneur and business owner, she became an accomplished speaker and spoke in front of 1000's of people in arenas around America as well as in four international countries. Michelle was known for her heart and compassion and her ability to communicate that even from the stage. She was much loved and respected in her activities at her beloved church, First Baptist of Newberry, where she served on various committees, at her boys' school, Newberry Academy, where she also did substitute teaching, and in the other community activities around Prosperity and Newberry. She loved reading, walking and listening to other people but most of all she loved her little boys and her husband very much. She is also survived by her father, J. Ned Pruitt of Augusta, GA; her brother, Dr. J. Ned Pruitt II, his wife Ellen, and their three children, also of Augusta; her father and mother in-law, Bruce and Dorothy Connelly of Prosperity; brother-in-law Blake Connelly of Prosperity; sister and brother-in-law, Mandy and Tim Ringer and their four children, of Hartsville, SC, and a brother and sister-in-law, Brent and Deena Connelly and their two children, of Pomaria, SC. She was predeceased by her mother, Barbara Moore Pruitt. Funeral services will be conducted at 3 pm Wednesday at First Baptist Church of Newberry by Dr. Kenneth Harmon. Burial will follow in Zion United Methodist Church Cemetery in Prosperity. The family will receive friends from 1 -3pm at the First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall. Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, 1020 Boundary Street, Newberry, SC or to Chad and Michelle's ministry, Freedom Tide Foundation, 1831 Wilson Road, PMB 154, Newberry, SC 92108 or to the newly formed Michelle P. Connelly Scholarship Fund at Newberry Academy, 2055 Smith Road, Newberry, SC 29108. Services entrusted to McSwain-Evans Funeral Home. www.mcswainevans.com . Sign the guestbook at AugustaChronicle.com