Nancy Helen Pruett

Nancy Helen Pierce Pruett, 78, of Clifton, departed from this life to her eternal home in Heaven on March 22, 2023. Celebration of life services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, March 25, at Lighthouse Church in Clifton, followed by burial at Clifton Cemetery.  Visitation with family will be held Friday, March 24 from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm at Clifton Funeral Home.

Nancy went by her middle name “Helen” for most of her life. 

Helen loved one man enough to marry him 3 times.  Their third divorce was the one that took, and she refused his fourth proposal.  Although she couldn’t commit to another run at things, she was at his side the day he passed, and it was his name she either sang or cursed when her mind began to slip. She loved J.L. Pruett until the end.  

She loved her parents and siblings and kept their memories alive in the (probably true) stories and details she shared with her kids and grandkids about the family that was “gone on before.”

Every one of her grandchildren has a memory of her obliterating them at Uno. Not regular Uno, but the “Nancy Helen House Rules” version where blood relation meant nothing. She was merciless.  In Helen’s rules you could play back-to-back any of the following: “draw 2”, “draw 4”, “skip”, or “reverse.”  So, on an especially lucky hand one might actually win the game by playing all their cards in one turn. She alone fully understood the rules, and she maintained the upper hand for years.  Also, none of the kids ever knew the real rules until they tried to play with friends who didn’t regularly get murdered by their Grannies at a card game that was partially made up…it was shocking to discover there were different rules to the game! 

She loved her family, and it is evident in the many albums of collected photos and mementos of her loved ones.  She treasured simple gifts and trinkets.

She had a bit of an ornery streak, and getting goats was her favorite pastime of all.  She loved to kid around, and could take what she gave…really, she delighted having her goat taken. “Trading Goats” we’ve called it, and she was the best!

Everyone has a story about Nancy playfully threatening to spank their bottoms. Most have been successfully swatted at one time or another. 

She was what some call a “Noticer.” Others call it nosey, but there was no malice. Just a quiet observance of the goings ons around her. Helen was quiet and reserved. She didn’t have hobbies and had a handful of friends but mostly spent her time serving her family and surviving. 

When she made her residence at the Lutheran Sunset Home, she began going by her first name, Nancy, as that was what the staff generally called her. She didn’t mind, and it stuck. Although, if you called her that to an old timer, they’d say “Who is Nancy??” 

Her time at Lutheran Sunset is the best part of her story, and where she was most able to flourish and blossom as her own person. 

When life circumstances led her to “Sunset”, Nancy quickly became a fixture at every activity available.  She made close friends with a group of women and spent her time playing bingo, painting, doing puzzles, and participating in exercises with the therapy department.  She loved when the Elvis impersonator came to visit. She went on many outings to see wildflowers, or shop at Pot of Gold, or participate in local parades.  The annual grandparent day was one of her favorites, she would sit for hours and fish with her friends and family!  

She developed and maintained the closest friendship any of her family knew her to have and spent hours doing puzzles with her best friend Juanita.  For years they were inseparable until Juanita’s death. 

She lit up at the chance to be included and involved. Sunset Home’s ministry to the elderly had a profound impact on her life. Nancy was a late bloomer. It meant so much to her family to see her true personality shine during these last 15 years.

Her legacy to her children and grandchildren will be that of unconditional love, and truly her life was a tribute to the phrase “Bloom where you are planted.” She will be missed but her stories will bring laughter and joy to many for years to come. 

Nancy Helen was preceded in death by her parents, Wiley, and Ruby; her late husband³ James Leslie Pruett; and son in law Alfred Covey.  She is survived by her son William (Bill) Pruett and partner Albert D. Diaz of Clifton; her daughter Ronda Covey of Clifton; her daughter Teresa Pruett of Belton; her brother Wiley Pierce and his wife Shirley of Clifton; her aunt Josephine Hicks and Roland of Clifton; 11 grandchildren; 32 great grandchildren; 1 great-great grandchild; and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins who loved and will miss her.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Clifton Lutheran Sunset Home Activities Department. 

A special thanks to Sunset Hospice and the staff of Clifton Lutheran Sunset Ministries.

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