Joe Pruett

Joe Pleymon Pruett, age 81, of Gatesville passed away on Wednesday, October 9, 2019.  Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am on Monday, October 14, 2019 at Harper-Talasek Funeral Home in Belton.  Burial will follow at North Belton Cemetery.  Visitation will be held from 6:00-8:00 PM on Sunday, October 13, 2019 at Harper-Talasek Funeral Home in Belton.

Joe was born April 7, 1938 in Bell County, Texas to William Leslie and Imodene Carlisle Pruett.  He served in the United States Air Force for over 22 years. During his career in the Air Force as a flight engineer, he circled the world many times, as well as flew critical missions for his country in such locations as Vietnam, East Berlin, and over the North Atlantic during the Cuban Missile Crisis. After serving his country he returned to the central Texas area.

Joe enjoyed playing his guitar and singing and had a love of bluegrass and country & western music. Being a Jack-of-all-trades and master of most, Joe loved working with his hands—including home improvements and working on cars, in fact early in their marriage, Joe built racing go-carts that his wife Barbara competed with. He was an avid NASCAR fan and loved good food. His love of flying also led him to serve as a private pilot and flight instructor, where he taught others to fly.

Above all, he loved spending time with his kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Mary Barbara Pruett; brother, J.L. Pruett; sister, and Opal Dean Pruett.

He is survived by his two sons and two daughters; Karen Shepard, Curtiss Pruett and wife, Melinda, Vickie Kotrla and husband, Gary, and Joseph “Joe Joe” Pruett and wife, Angela; 11 grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; as well as many other family and friends.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the William R. Courtney Texas State Veterans Home c/o Resident Donation Fund; mail to: 1424 MLK Jr. Lane, Temple, TX 76504.