DUDGE" Mr. W. R. "Dudge" Pruitt, age 79, of Buford, GA passed away on Friday, May 6, 2011. He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl C. and Pearl Peevy Pruitt; brother, Glyndon "Nig" Pruitt; and sisters, Thelma Pruitt Mears, Vera Pruitt Coleman, Jane Pruitt Pealock, Mildred Pruitt Beard, Jackie Pruitt Etheridge, and Bertie Mae Pruitt Perkins. He is survived by his former wife of 23 years, Betty Jean Davis Pruitt, Buford, GA; daughters and son-in-law, Sheila Pruitt Falls, Knoxville, TN and Amy Pruitt Youngblood and Kevin Youngblood, Marietta, GA; son and daughter-in-law, Carl Jeffery and Kathy Pruitt, Buford, GA; grandchildren, Brian and Lea Falls, Natalie Falls, Brandon Falls, Grant Youngblood, Alec Youngblood and Jeff and Laura Pruitt; step granddaughter, Kirsten Nappi; sister, Hazel Pruitt Carroll, Lawrenceville, GA; special beloved friend, Elsie Anne Rome, Pride, LA; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Mr. Pruitt was born July 22, 1931 in Buford, GA. He was a 1950 graduate of Buford High School in Buford. GA. He was a veteran of the U. S. Air Force. He was a member of the Buford American Legion Post 127 where he was a former commander. He was a former Gwinnett County Commissioner from 1965 – 1972 and then was the first Gwinnett County Commission Chairman from 1969 – 1972. He also helped organize the Gwinnett County Police Department in the late 1960's. Mr. Pruitt was a former employee of General Motors Assembly Plant and he owned and operated the Pruitt Shell Station in Buford for a number of years. He was a land developer. Mr. Pruitt was a 2008 inductee into the Hall of Fame at Buford High School. He was a member of the Buford Masonic Lodge #292 F. & A.M. and a former member of the Buford Lions Club. He was a long time member of the Buford First United Methodist Church in Buford, GA. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Flanigan Funeral Home with Rev. Chad Roebuck officiating and Mary Long giving the eulogy. Interment will follow at Broadlawn Memorial Gardens in Buford, GA with military honors. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Monday from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. and from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and on Tuesday from 12:30 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. Flowers accepted or memorial donations may be made to W. R. "Dudge" Pruitt Buford High School Scholarship Fund, c/o Peoples Bank and Trust, 1900 Buford Highway, Buford, GA 30518 in memory of W. R. "Dudge" Pruitt. Arrangements by: Junior E. Flanigan of Flanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Buford, GA.