About Us

The Pruitt Funeral Home was founded in 1889 in Moreland by George Booker Pruitt (1st Generation Owner) and his brother Meredith. In 1905, they set up a branch business in Burnside, and it was operated by Horace Nicholson (Dorothy Pruitt's Grandfather). In 1909, they dissolved the partnership, and Meredith went to Burnside to run that business. George Booker remained active in the funeral home in Moreland until his death in 1945. He was buried in the Pruitt Cemetery (now known as the Moreland Cemetery).

In 1909, George Booker's oldest son, William (Willy) Lee (second-generation owner), started working with his father in Moreland. He was later joined by two of his brothers, Henry Edward "Buck" and George King, who would eventually establish their own funeral homes in Jamestown and Danville. They continued to work with their father until his death. In 1945, George Booker died, and Pruitt Funeral Home in Moreland was purchased by W.L. Pruitt.

Vaughan Dirck Pruitt began working with his father, Willie Lee Pruitt (W.L.), in 1945. He became a licensed funeral director and embalmer in January 1948. In 1954, Willie Lee’s youngest son, William Dudley (Bud), joined the group, and the firm became known as W.L. Pruitt and Sons Funeral Home. The group continued under that name until 1954, at which time W. L. went into semi-retirement. The name was then changed to its current designation – W. L. Pruitt Funeral Home Inc.

Interestingly, in addition to working in funeral service, both Dirck and Bud ran a television and radio repair business in the back of the funeral home property. Bud moved away from the family business in 1970. Over the years, Dirck’s wife, Dorothy, helped out at the funeral home while employed full-time at the Boyle County Stock Yards as a bookkeeper. After 1972, she was employed only by the funeral home, served as the bookkeeper, and continued to help Dirck.  After his father's retirement, Dirck managed the business as the sole licensed funeral director and embalmer until his death in 2000. 

Karen Vaughan Pruitt Floro (fourth generation) was licensed as a funeral director in 2000. She had just completed her apprenticeship under her father, Vaughan Dirck Pruitt, prior to his death in the same year.   A graduate of Good Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing, Karen worked her younger years as a registered nurse, primarily in Coronary Care.  She also served as Youth Director at Centenary Methodist Church in Danville, KY for 26 years. But after her father's death, she and her son, Tony Floro (fifth generation), would become the managers and operators of the funeral home. Dirck's wife, Dorothy Fox Pruitt, would continue to serve on the Board of Directors and as a resource, providing a wealth of knowledge and information to the next generations. Karen is also a licensed insurance agent. 

Anthony Joseph Floro (fifth generation) had decided on a career in funeral service, even prior to pursuing his undergraduate degree at Morehead State University in Business Administration and Accounting. While helping out his grandfather, Vaughan Dirck Pruitt, in the late 90's, Tony made the decision to accelerate his undergraduate work and earned a bachelor's degree with honors from Morehead in just 3 1/2 years. He immediately entered Mid-America College of Mortuary Science and was awarded an Associate in Applied Science in 2000. Tony is a licensed funeral director and embalmer.  Tony serves as operator and manager of the funeral home. He and his wife, Jessica Floro (a licensed funeral director as well), also own W.L. Pruitt Monument Company. Outside of the funeral home, Tony serves as Lincoln County Deputy Coroner and is an active member of the Kentucky Coroner's Association and the Mass Fatality Response Team.