Charles Warren Pruett of Winthrop, Washington, passed away on April 17, 2022, at the age of 94, just shy of his 95th birthday. He moved in 2018 from the Skagit Valley, where he had lived for 35 years, to the Methow Valley to join the wonderful community of elders and caregivers at Jamie’s Place.
Chuck, as he was affectionately known by family and friends, was born on April 30, 1927, in San Francisco, California, to John Floyd Pruett and Marguerite Victorine (Mathé) Pruett. He and his older brother, John Mathe Pruett, grew up in the “avenues” adjacent to the city’s Golden Gate Park and they spent summers with extended family and friends in Healdsburg near the Russian River.
His early childhood experiences fostered his adventurer spirit and love of the outdoors. While a student at Wilkens High School he joined the Bay Area Sea Scouts where sailing captured his heart. His fellow scouts became life-long friends. He also joined the Dolphin Club, swimming miles in the bay’s cold waters each morning, and was known for winning a 3-hour race for his age group from Aquatic Park on the city’s front around Alcatraz and back. Chuck was a connoisseur of old folk songs and sea shanties, which he loved to sing. He had a song for every occasion, and typically had a joke or a prank to go with it.
After graduating from Wilkens High School in 1945, he joined the U.S. Navy and served in the Medical Corp stationed on Treasure Island in the Bay Area during the final year of WWII. After leaving the Navy he studied at University of California Berkeley toward an associate degree, and married Shirley Steinman in 1950. They built their home in Tiburon, California, at the east end of the peninsula where Chuck could view “the most boats” out on the bay, and sail as a regular on the racing circuits of the Corinthian and St. Francis Yacht Clubs. There they raised their children Charles Michael, Melinda and Daniel.
Chuck encouraged his kids to sail and camp and love nature. Chuck served as the captain of the Tiburon Fire Department through the 1960s and early 1970s before becoming a fire protection consultant. He retired from fire protection in the mid-1980s in order to captain his 44-foot wooden boat Electra, originally for charter in the Bay Area and then later moving with it up to La Conner, Washington, to simply enjoy exploring the waters of the Puget Sound.
Chuck was the last of his generation on both sides of his family. He was preceded in death by his parents John and Marguerite, brother John, wife Shirley, and his partner Elsa Gruber. He is survived by his sons Michael Pruett (Karen Fisher) of Winthrop, Washington, and Daniel Pruett of San Diego, California; his daughter Melinda Pruett-Jones (Steve) of Chicago, Illinois; and his four grandchildren Ian, Sean, Connor and McKenna.
Chuck’s family sincerely thanks the amazing team of caregivers at Jamie’s Place for their exceptional care and compassion. Remembrances and memorial donations may be made to Jamie’s Place/Methow Valley Family Home Center Association, P.O. Box 1260, Winthrop, WA 98862; www.jamiesplace.org.
