Obit of Pruitt, Kenneth H - Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Gene Phillips 17 Feb 2008 Return to Pottawatomie County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/pottawatomie/pottawatomie.htm ===================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ===================================================================== ::Spangler FH--Los Altos CA Pruitt, Kenneth H. KENNETH H. PRUITT Long Time Bay Area Restaurateur A memorial service celebrating his life will be held Sunday, May 20, for Kenneth Pruitt, well known throughout the Bay Area having established and run many local restaurants for nearly 50 years. The service will be held at Spangler Mortuary at 399 S. San Antonio Rd in Los Altos, beginning at 3 P.M. Ken's most popular restaurants were "Ken's House of Pancakes", with locations in Millbrae, Menlo Park, Mountain View and Campbell as well as Vacaville and Hilo, Hawaii. Ken's first restaurant was a little place called "The Shack" in Palo Alto; opened in 1953. Soon thereafter, Ken became known as the "Pancake Man" with his first Pancake House in Menlo Park. While continuing to establish Ken's Pancake House's up and down the Peninsula, he took over "Walker's Wagon Wheel" in Mountain View. The Wagon Wheel became well known in Silicon Valley for being the site of many high level hi-tech business meetings in the early stages of Silicon Valley's tech boom; so much so that when developers built San Jose's Hi-Tech Museum, Ken was asked to donate some Wagon Wheel memorabilia to the museum. Other restaurant establishments during the years included "The Melody Inn Pizza & Pipes" in Los Altos, "Doran's Supper Club" in Belmont, "Dubby's" and "Ken's Cabaret" in Millbrae, "Tio Pancho's Mexican Restaurant" in Vacaville, "The Old Mill" and "Munchies Copper Cooker" in Arizona. Despite having only an 8th grade education and losing his parents at a young age, Ken faced life's challenges with a strong and independent spirit. He was primarily self-taught but had a strong ambition as well as a natural business sense and that made him a great example of what hard work and determination can accomplish. He and his family benefited from the hard work and loyalty of many long term employees and Ken often rewarded that dedication in generous ways. A native of Shawnee, Oklahoma, Ken Pruitt was born March 23, 1924 and passed away peacefully on April 13th at the age of 83. He was preceded in death by his wife of 35 years, Eileen who passed away in 1987. He was remarried in 2002 at the age of 78 to his loving wife Janette. Ken will be dearly missed by her as well as his son Dan Pruitt, daughter Dana Willson (Tom Hawkins), grandchildren Ryan Willson (Connie), Matthew Willson and Stayce Pruitt, great grandson Sean Willson, brother Jack Pruitt (Jennifer), sister Gladys Pruitt, nephew Jim Cunningham (Elfrieda) and other close family and friends. Published in the San Mateo County Times on 5/11/2007. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Pottawatomie County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/pottawatomie/pottawatomie.htm