Ruthie Mae (Spriggs) Pryor

Mother Ruthie Mae Pryor loved the Lord dearly! She was sho-nough saved! She lived a holy life before her family and friends, including the haters. Prior to her illness, she was a faithful member at her church Community Christian Center, where her pastor was Terry O’Neal. Mother Ruthie was educated in her hometown of Augusta, Arkansas. This is where she met and fell in love, and married Cecil Pryor Jr. on May 5, 1967. From this union they had a son, Cecil Pryor, III. Mother Ruthie also had another son whom she loved so dearly and that son was Terry Smith (TLo)!

Terry and Cecil were Mother Ruthie‘s favorite two boys. She also had the loving task of raising her two younger sisters, Joyce T. and Carolyn.  Mother Ruthie and her husband moved to Michigan, City Indiana in 1970. She began working at Red Oaks Nursing Home, and then at Woodview Nursing Home until she was disabled with an Aneurysm. The doctors said she would live in a vegetative state and never walk or talk again after her operation. However, the Saints of God fasted and prayed, and after a lengthy surgery of removing the aneurysm in her brain, Mother Ruthie woke up in the recovery room at University of Chicago against all odds. She opened her eyes and her first words were, “where’s Peanut?” God is so good!  The doctor stated “she is a miracle and only God could have brought her through!” 

About seven years ago the doctors here in Indiana told our family that Mother Ruthie would not make it past the end of the year. However, as you can see, that was seven years ago and God has defied even the doctors! She has been a walking and talking miracle everyday since her surgery, especially for these last seven years. God has graciously allowed her to live a prosperously blessed and holy life! And I can hear her saying now “God is Good, God is Good, God is Good, God is Good!!!

Ruthie Mae Pryor loved to be called Mama, Mother Ruthie, and of course, Tudy by her husband, family, and friends! Mother Ruthie departed from her loving family in Michigan City, Indiana on July 21, 2023.

Mother Ruthie was born on July 7, 1945 in Augusta, Arkansas from the union of her father Booker T. Spriggs and her mother Emma Gibbs. Both parents, two sisters, Vern Spriggs and Betty Collier, along with two brothers, Leonard Spriggs and Emmett Spriggs, preceded her in death. Surviving are her two sisters Joyce T. Wilkes of Kansas City, Missouri and Carolyn (Kevin) Wilson of Kansas City, Missouri and two sons Cecil (Evangelist Dr. Gayle) Pryor, III of LaPorte, Indiana, and Terry Smith of Michigan City, Indiana along with a host of grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

Mother Pryor's Celebration of Life will be 11am, Saturday, August 12, 2023 at Greater Powerhouse Church of God in Christ 428 North Woodland Avenue, Michigan City. Viewing will be 10am Saturday, August 12, 2023 at Greater Powerhouse Church of God in Christ. There will be a visitation from 4pm to 7pm, Friday, August 11, 2023 at Emmanuel Funeral Home(Trail Creek).

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