Donald Binford Pruitt

Don, as he was known to his friends and family, was born in Richmond, Virginia on September 15, 1934, the son of Jesse Marvin and Hazel Hobson Pruitt. He left Richmond in 1941, but returned frequently throughout his life, and remained connected to the city for many years. His father’s work took the family to portions of southwestern Virginia and east Tennessee over the next few years; eventually they ended up in Murfreesboro, Tennessee where he graduated from Central High School (1952) and Middle Tennessee State College (1956). Don joined the army and, after training, was sent to Germany as part of the American occupation force in Bavaria. He used his time in Germany to travel as much as possible, and often spoke fondly of the visits he had made to capitals throughout Europe. Returning Stateside, he completed an MA at Georgetown University in 1967 before being posted to West Point as an instructor; he left the military in 1969, and took a teaching position at Virginia Tech before heading to the Ohio State University for a Ph.D. in Slavic Studies (completed 1975). He then taught for a few years at James Madison University before being hired to teach Russian for the Department of Defense in San Antonio, Texas, where he met his wife and had a son. He was transferred to the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California; after a few years there he took a position with the Office of Naval Intelligence and moved his family to Fairfax County, where he lived until his death. He retired from the Navy in 1994, and spent many of his remaining years traveling with his family. Don had a deep fascination and love for opera and classical music, and was a voracious reader with a deep interest in the world around him. He leaves to cherish his memory his wife (Alla) and son (Steven).

A memorial service will be held at Demaine Funeral Home Alexandria, located at 520 S. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314. The service is scheduled for January 17, 2026, starting at 1:00 pm.