Dr. Bob Pruett

Dr. Robert "Bob" James Pruett, 54, of Milledgeville, GA, died at home on Tuesday, July 25, 2017. All will remember his sense of humor, booming laugh, and kindness to others. Born in Madison, WI, on July 5, 1963, Bob attended Madison West High (’81) and the Univ. of Wisconsin (BS Geology ’85) before going to Indiana Univ. (MS Geology ’88, PhD Geological Sci. ’93). His life as a loving husband and father began in New Jersey, where he started his career with Georgia Kaolin and met Diane Dlugosz. They married and moved to Milledgeville, where they raised three sons. He was a Green Bay Packers fan, led Boy Scout Troops 124 (GA) and 104 (WI), and served the Knights of Columbus. Dr. Pruett was Director of Technology for Imerys in Sandersville, GA, and conducted business in the U.S., Brazil, France, England, Poland, and elsewhere. He had more than a dozen patents in clay processing and 17 publications. He was a member of the editorial board of Applied Clay Science since 1997 and served the Clay Minerals Society since 1985, including on committees and its board of directors. Bob won the Industrial Minerals & Aggregates Young Scientist Award in 1994 and the A. Frank Alsobrook Industrial Minerals & Aggregates Distinguished Service Award in 2012, both from the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration Inc., where he served as president in 2014. The Society also presented him with the Presidential Citation for his leadership developing the “Mining in Society” merit badge for BSA. He is survived by his wife, Diane Dlugosz Pruett of Milledgeville, GA; sons, James Pruett of Oklahoma City, OK, Brian Pruett and Jonathan Pruett, both of Milledgeville; father, Dr. Charles Pruett, and stepmother, Edna Paske Pruett, both of Madison, WI; and sister, Dr. Renee Pruett McPherson (William) of Norman, OK. He was preceded in death by his mother, Rose Mary McDonell Pruett. The family will receive friends at Williams Funeral Home of Milledgeville on Friday, July 28 from 5 to 7 PM. Bob was an active member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, where a funeral mass will be celebrated at 11 AM on Saturday, July 29, in Milledgeville, GA. Interment will follow in Heritage Memorial Park. Donations may be made in honor of Bob Pruett to the Clay Minerals Society, 3635 Concorde Pkwy, Suite 500, Chantilly, VA, 20151-1110.

Dr. Bob Pruett

July 5, 1963 - July 25, 2017