of Searcy, AR

July 2, 1921 - November 10, 2019

On Sunday, November 10, 2019, Emma Jean Smith Pruitt passed peacefully away at home in Searcy at the age of 98. Emma Jean was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother ''mamaw'', and great-grandmother. She was devoted to her family, church, and community, and will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

Emma Jean was born in Cache, Oklahoma, on July 2, 1921, to Emma Irene Walters Smith and Carl Clifton Smith. After her father passed away when she was 3 years old, Emma Jean was raised by her mother, maternal grandparents, and her many aunts and uncles. It was during these early years that Emma Jean learned to cook, sew, and quilt by watching her mother and grandmother.

Emma Jean met the love of he life, John Robert Pruitt, when she was in high school and he was working for the Civilian Conservation Corps in Oklahoma during the Depression. After he returned home to Florida, he sent her bus fare and money to buy fabric, so she could make her own wedding dress. They were married in Leesburg, Florida, on November 26, 1939. They moved to Searcy in 1952, where Robert worked for and later retired from the American Natural Gas Pipeline Company. They raised two sons, Johnny and Eddie, and were married for 62 wonderful years.

Emma Jean loved sewing for her granddaughters and great-granddaughters. She would make her own patterns and would have her granddaughters stand on stools (for what seemed like an eternity to them) to get their exact measurements as the grew over the years. They cherished their matching special occasion dressess made with love by Mamaw. Emma Jean created priceless memories by spending hours with her granddaughters teaching them how to sew, crochet, make Christmas decorations, create fabric covered Easter eggs, and doing other crafts. She also loved making Little Red Riding Hood dolls; she made hundreds over the years for family, friends, and charity.

Emma Jean was a wonderful cook; her family and friends loved her homemade rolls, potato salad, fried chicken, deviled eggs, pies, and secret ingredient tuna sandwiches that were individually wrapped in wax paper. She would even make cherry pies without the cherries for one of her granddaughters.

Holidays were magical at Mamaw's house. She always had many Christmas trees throughout her house, including her much loved Doll tree. And apparently, she was great friends with Santa Claus since he always made an early special stop at her house to deliver presents to her grandchildren in person. Easter was another special holiday at her house; her Easter rabbit cakes and Easter egg hunts were legendary.

Emma Jean was a devout Christian. If you were at her house on a Sunday, you were going to church. She was a member of the Gum Springs Church for 65 years, where she taught children's Sunday School. She was also active in Gum Springs Extension Club and community.

Preceding her in death are her husband; her parents; sister, Bernice Smith Daeke; brother, Carl Smith; twin siblings, Mayalene Smith Barron and Marlin Smith; and granddaughter Jeanne Marie Pruitt. Emma is survived by her sons, John Robert Pruitt, Jr. and his wife Carole of Spring City, TN; Edward Carl Pruitt and his wife Lynne of Searcy, AR; grandchildren, John Robert Pruitt, III of Spring City, TN; Teresa Pruitt of Garfield, AR; Tina Pruitt Osburn and her husband Ross of Cabot, AR; Anna Paige Pruitt Francis and her husband Michael of Memphis, TN; Lisa Rogers Butler and her husband Ron of Olive Branch, MS; Beth Rogers Qualls and her Mark husband of Searcy, AR; and 11 great-grandchildren.

A graveside service is scheduled for Thursday, November 14, 2019, at 2 p.m. at Gum Springs Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Gum Springs Church. Arrangements are by Roller-Daniel Funeral Home.

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