Louanna"Lou"Jo Blackwell Pruitt

A memorial service celebrating the life of Lou Pruitt will be held at University Baptist Church, 5775 Highland Road, on Monday, Sept. 6, at 11 a.m. The Rev. George Haile will conduct the service. Lou, 73, passed away peacefully at her home Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010. She was born and raised in Muleshoe, Texas, moved to New Orleans and retired from civil service with the U.S. Navy at Alvin Callender Field before moving to Baton Rouge, where she spent the last 16 years of her life. Survivors include her daughters, Karen Pruitt Reichard and her husband, Jim, of Lafayette, and Sherri D. Pruitt, of Baton Rouge; her grandchildren, Brian Reichard, of Houston, and Ellen and Kevin Reichard, both of Lafayette; a sister, Vera Thomas, of Norman, Okla.; brothers, Leldon Blackwell, of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Clifford Blackwell, of Grand Junction, Colo.; and the father of her children, Jim Pruitt, of Warren, Ohio. She was preceded in death by her mother, Oleta Evans Hamblin. She was a loving mother, grandmother, sister and friend who will be greatly missed by family, friends and all who knew her. Immediately following the service, family and friends are invited to gather in the fellowship hall of the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the National Parkinson Foundation, Gift Processing Center, P.O. Box 5018, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5018 orwww.parkinson.org" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.parkinson.org">www.parkinson.organd University Baptist Church, 5775 Highland Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70808. Arrangements by Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government St.