MicShelle Renae Pruitt

The world lost a bit of its sparkle when MicShelle Renae Pruitt journeyed to Heaven after a 20-month courageous and optimistic battle with brain cancer. She was born three months premature at Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City to James Roger Evans and Janette Freeman Evans. The miracle baby grew-up in Lawton and graduated from Lawton High in 1984. She completed her education at the University of Central Oklahoma with a Business Degree in Finance.

She spent the last 25 years working as a mortgage broker helping people fulfill their dreams of home ownership. Her career in Mortgage Banking concluded with a five-year partnership with her dear friend Nick Utesch at Progressive Financial Services in Oklahoma City. She and Nick were quite a team!

After eight years of being a single mom, she met John Sexton on October 8, 2010 on the rooftop of OCMA during the Art on Tap fundraiser. They were married on April 23, 2013 in the lobby of OCMA under the Waterford chandelier by their dear friend Jerry Foshee, who became an ordained minister just so he could officiate their ceremony. A traditional Hawaiian wedding was held at Turtle Cove on the Big Island in Hawaii on April 28th with family and friends in attendance. The next morning, the bride took a swim in her wedding dress. That’s Shelley!

Shelley is survived by her three sons – Luke, Ben and John, her husband John Sexton, her father Roger Evans and her loving sister Cindy Parker. She is also survived by her brothers Roger Lynn Evans, Scotty and wife Leila Evans, Chris Herald and Kelly and wife Kammy Herald and numerous nephews, nieces, great-nieces and great-nephews. She is preceded in death by her mother, Janette Howard, her stepmother Linda Evans and her favorite grandmother Mildred Evans and favorite uncle Eddie Evans.

The family would like to express our thanks to the Adult Neurology Department and staff at Weill-Cornell Medical Center in New York City, the OU Stephenson Cancer Center, LiveStrong at the downtown YMCA and special friends & caregivers Susan Balkenbush, Lauren Balkenbush Dunlevy, Monty Elder, Susan Coles, Peg Mueller, Brenda Craiger, Nick Utesch, Sean Cotter, Mary Fallin, Russ Islas, Gary Sander and the caregivers at Crossroads Hospice.

Shelley’s smile and welcoming nature were enjoyed by a galaxy of family and friends. She made everyone feel special. When her cancer was diagnosed, she used the hash tag #forwardandup. We know she is now forward & up to Heaven. Her life will be celebrated with a Funeral Mass on Wednesday, March 27th @ 2:00pm at Our Lady’s Cathedral, 3314 N. Lake Avenue in Oklahoma City.