Walter Leon Prugh
Fri, 2014-08-01 05:00
News Staff
June 30, 1920 ~ Juny 28, 2014
A memorial service for Walter Prugh will be held on August 10, 2014 at Taylor Creek Elementary School, 2096 Big Divide Rd, Copperas Cove, TX, located between Copperas Cove and Kempner at 3:00 p.m. with burial of his ashes to follow in Kempner Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the Sneed Funeral Chapel in Lampasas, TX Saturday, August 9 2014 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Walter Leon Prugh, 94, of Kempner passed away July 28, 2014 in Temple, TX. He was born June 30, 1920 on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation near Martin, South Dakota, to Charles Harold and Emma Hamer Prugh. Walter grew up near Valentine, Nebraska and then moved to Montana. He entered the Army in October 1943 as a private. After serving during World War II he went to Korea as a warrant officer and received a battlefield commission as an Infantry second lieutenant. After 29 years of service, he retired in 1972 as a Colonel. He served in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Korea, The Philippines, Thailand, Japan, Germany, and several stateside assignments, including the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.. Walter met his wife, Jeanette, in Tokyo, Japan where they married in 1954. He first came to Texas in 1962 after a 4-year tour with the United States Army in Germany. The family settled in Copperas Cove and lived there until 1967. They purchased a small farm in Lampasas County in the Kempner area in 1964 and moved there in February 1967 when Walter returned from a 1-year tour in Vietnam. In November 1967, he completed the US Army War College in Pennsylvania and then was assigned to Bangkok, Thailand. They returned to Kempner in August 1971 where he continued to live and farm until his death. After retirement from the Army in 1972, Walter went back to college and received his bachelor’s degree in history from Mary HardinBaylor and his master’s degree in counseling from the American Technological University. He taught at Ellison High School in Killeen for 2 years. He was elected Justice of the Peace for Precinct 4, Lampasas County in November 1980 and served until October 2005. He has been a member of the Mount Hiram Masonic Lodge #595 in Copperas Cove, a 32nd degree Mason, where he received his 50 year pin, a life member of the Waco Scottish Rite Lodge, a Shriner, an Elder in the First Presbyterian Church in Lampasas and Adamsville Presbyterian Church. Walter was a Sunday school teacher and church leader throughout his adult life. He was a founding member and president of the Kempner Volunteer Fire Department and has worked with the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and the United Way for many years. The fire station in Kempner was named The Walter L. Prugh Fire Station and Community Center in honor of his dedicated service. US Highway 190 going through Kempner was named the Col. Walter L. Prugh Expressway in appreciation of his support for the Kempner community. He and Jeanette donated land near Taylor Creek for the Sylvia Tucker Memorial Park to the City of Kempner Walter was instrumental in the incorporation of the City of Kempner. Walter worked many years to see an elementary school built in the Kempner area culminating in Taylor Creek Elementary. He was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Jerry L. Prugh of Vancouver, WA, sisters Lois Killion of Lander, WY and Opal Fernau of Show Low, AZ. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Jeanette of Kempner, a sister, Freida Brinda of Lander, WY, brother-in-law, Rick Fernau of Show Low, AZ, and eight children. Sons Michael Prugh and wife Debbie of Killeen, TX; Mark Prugh and wife Desiree of Waynesville, MO; Matthew Prugh of Plano, TX; David Prugh of Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia; Samuel Prugh and wife Rosi of San Antonio, TX. Daughters Jennifer Carey and husband Ken of Stephenville, TX; Ruth Garcia and husband Andrew of Lampasas, TX and Joanne Bernasek and husband Tom of Cascade, MT. Grandchildren: Brad Prugh and wife Shana of McKinney TX; Thad Prugh and wife Courtney of Fort Worth, TX; Tyler Prugh and Loren Karcher of Waynesville, MO; Eric Schlicke and wife Rosie of Acworth, GA; Travis Schlicke of Waco, TX; Jeanette Collins and husband Van of Gatesville, TX; Andrew Garcia III of Lampasas, TX; Marisol Daugherty and husband Michael of Round Rock, TX; Cameron Garcia of Denton, TX; Julie Prugh, Shannon Prugh, and Seth Prugh of Devine, TX; Enzo Prugh and Melanie Prugh of San Antonio, TX; Tim Bernasek and wife Poppy of Portland, OR; Brian Bernasek of Pocatello, ID; Joel Bernasek and wife Gretchen of Salt Lake City, UT; Jennea Sire and husband Dennis of Big Sandy, MT; Renee Haroche and Husband Bob of Sebastopol, CA ; Gary Prugh and wife Sheila of Spokane, WA and Jeri Leigh Piner of Bozeman, MT. Great-grandchildren: Benjamin Prugh, Madeline Prugh, Mia Schlicke, Sky Schlicke, Owen Collins, Tyler Garcia, Dylan Garcia, Noah Garcia, Isabella Daugherty, Gabriella Daugherty, Audrey Bernasek, Thomas Bernasek, Eliabeth Bernasek, Maddie Bernasek , Emma Bernasek, Dylan Gonzalez, Krista Wilkins, Liev Haroche, Skylar Haroche, Tyler Piner, Christopher Wellington, and Jessica Detal. And numerous nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made tothe Kempner Volunteer Fire Department or the Sylvia Tucker Memorial Park in Kempner.