Ronald Lloyd Pruitt, 85
Ronald Lloyd Pruitt, affectionately known as Red Ronnie, cast his final line into the great beyond on January 30, 2024, at the age of 85, in Salisbury, Maryland. Born to make a splash on January 3, 1939, in Crisfield, MD, Ronnie was a man who built a life as sturdy and heartfelt as the homes he crafted with his carpenter's hands.
Red Ronnie, a man who never shied away from sailing through life's choppy waters, was raised on Tangier Island by his adopted parents, John and Thelma Pruitt. In his youth, he navigated the waves as a waterman, and it's said that the fish in the sea still whisper tales of his early years.
Ronnie's life was a tapestry of relationships, woven with the threads of love, laughter, and a bit of sawdust. He married his first mate, Thelma Dickerson, and together they launched a fleet of five children. Though their marital ship eventually docked, Ronnie's heart was big enough to find love again and set sail with Cheryl.
Leaving behind a crew of kin, Ronald is survived by his four remaining children, his grandchildren, and their little deckhands. Elizabeth Evans and children of Pocomoke, Ruth and her husband Warren and children, Billie Jo Chandler and her husband Eddie and their children, both of Crisfield, Betty Allen and her children of Clarksburg. His step-daughter Candice Smith and her children of Missouri.
He ended the voyage to the eternal harbor were his parents, Murphy and Ruth Keiser, his adopted parents, John and Thelma Keiser, his first wife, Thelma, his son Ronnie Jr., and his infant son, David and his second wife, Cheryl.
A man who lived by his own compass, Ronnie has donated his body to science, ensuring that even in the afterlife, he's still making waves. His ashes will find their berth on the family's property in Marion Station. True to his nature, Ronnie requested no fanfare or service-quietly slipping anchor with the tide.
Red Ronnie's memory will be preserved in the hearts of those who loved him, He leaves us with the reminder to keep our sails full, our hooks baited, and to always enjoy the journey.