Nancy Louise Pruitt

Nancy Louise (Smith) Pruitt passed peacefully in her sleep on Tuesday, September 2, 2025. In recent months she lived in Loma Linda, California, with her son Michael and daughter-in-law Maria, with frequent visits from family, including her son Brian on the morning of her passing.

Nancy joins her husband of 53 years, Deacon Richard A. Pruitt (2010), her son David Michael (1956) and her daughter Kelly Ann Olivares (2007). She is survived by her sons Michael (Maria) and Brian (Rose), her grandchildren Ryan (Kim), Shannan, Laura (Harman), and Gabriella (Julio), and four great-grandchildren, Aneel, Arjan, Mylah and Macie.

Born May 18, 1933, Nancy was the youngest of four children of Lloyd P. and Lillian S. (Bruce) Smith of Westborough, Massachusetts. Her siblings Betty Murdock and Dick (Richard) Smith passed previously and her brother Myron Smith lives in Florida.

A high school graduate in a class of 18 students, Nancy moved to Los Angeles, California in the 1950s and worked at Northup Corporation during the early aerospace boom. Through Northup connections, she met and married Richard Pruitt in 1955. They had four children, raising their three surviving children first in Gardena and then Manhattan Beach, where they joined the new American Martyrs Family when their children enrolled at the school in 1964.

Nancy’s life centered on her family, parish, and community. She worked at American Martyrs School and Parish in various support roles and became known as one of AM’s “original church ladies.” Later, when Richard was ordained a Deacon, Nancy embraced her role as a Deacon’s wife, serving at American Martyrs and St. Anthony’s in El Segundo.

Travel was a joy for Nancy in her senior years. Often tied to smaller parish group trips, Nancy and Richard traveled to both international and domestic destinations. An especially memorable trip to China sparked Nancy’s love for pandas, prompting regular visits to San Diego Zoo’s Panda Exhibit. After Richard’s passing, Nancy made two more trips of significance, to Guatemala to visit new extended family members, and checking off a major bucket list experience by traveling to Albuquerque around New Mexico’s iconic Hot Air Balloon Festival.

Nancy’s legacy includes her support for the wider Catholic community, including assisting Doctor Billings and Msgr Deegan at their annual Natural Family Planning conferences, working as a staff participant for The Papal Liturgy at Dodger Stadium with Pope John Paul II, and being awarded the Benemerenti Medal for service to the Catholic Church, issued by the Pope.

Nancy’s greatest treasure though, was the lasting friendships she built across parishes, families, and friends, who became part of her extended family.