History

In the 1920s G. B. Pruitt had a funeral home in Moreland, KY. His son, H. E. (Buck) Pruitt established H. E. Pruitt Funeral Home in 1931 after he was married to Margaret Smith. G. B. Pruitt helped Buck, frequently coming to Russell County to aid with the funeral preparations when there was a death.

The Old Braxton Building

The funeral home has moved several times since its founding more than 70 years ago. The funeral home was located in the old Braxton Building, where the chiropractic office is now located. The funeral home also has been located in the second floor of the David Wells Insurance Office, the now vacant lot beside Bernard Florist, and finally in 1968 it moved to its current location on North Main Street.

H. E. Pruitt Funeral Home, circa 1950

Kathryn Jones Pruitt, the eldest daughter of H. E. and Margaret, married Scott E. Hamm, Jr. in 1963, and Scott joined the firm in October of that year. Scott learned to do it all from first call to digging the grave and all the processes in between. Until the end of 1973 the funeral home also operated an ambulance services, and Scott learned all aspects of that service at the same time.

Buck died July 21, 1971; Margaret, Scott and Kathryn operated the funeral home together until Margaret's death in June of 1988. Scott E. Hamm, III joined the firm in September 1988 marking the fourth generation of funeral directors at H. E. Pruitt Funeral Chapels. In 2001 E. E. "BUB" Rippetoe joined H. E. Pruitt bring over 40 years of service to the Russell County communities.

Much has changed since H. E. Pruitt founded a funeral home more than 70 years ago. Today, funerals are held in funeral home chapels, friends do not open graves, and the deceased no longer is taken back to the residence. Easier travel and better communications also have changed the way people live. Many people now pre-arrange the details of their funerals, and people expect to find information on the Internet. Evolving with these changes H. E. Pruitt Funeral Chapels now is providing this web site as another way to publish obituaries, compile information on the deceased, and to permit easy pre-planning for those interested in doing so.