Wednesday, August 21, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Golfers aid families of fallen warriors
Obituary
Leanne McConville
By Jim Cornelius
December 19, 1928 — August 13, 2019
Editor in Chief
Leanne was born in
Centerville, Iowa in 1928 to
Nelson and Nina Mitchell,
and was youngest of two
children.
Leanne grew up in
Centerville, and after gradu-
ating from Centerville High
School she moved to New
York and worked as a seam-
stress for the Rockettes at
Rockefeller Center. After
working for the Rockettes
for more than 40 years,
she retired as the costume
director.
In 2000 she reconnected
with her high school sweet-
heart, Bill McConville, who
This Labor Day Weekend,
Aspen Lakes is inviting golf-
ers in Central Oregon to hit
the links to celebrate Patriot
Golf Day.
The event is the largest
grassroots golf fundraiser
benefitting Folds of Honor,
a nonprofit organization that
provides educational scholar-
ships to children and spouses
of fallen and disabled vet-
erans. On Patriot Golf Day,
golfers across the country will
be encouraged to add an extra
donation to their greens fee to
fund Folds of Honor scholar-
ships. Donation opportuni-
ties will be made available
throughout the weekend at
Aspen Lakes.
This is an event that hits
very close to home for Aspen
Lakes PGA Professional
Howie Pruitt, who is spear-
heading the effort. Pruitt was
a decorated combat helicop-
ter pilot in Vietnam, where he
did a tour of duty in 1971-72.
U.S. involvement in the war
was winding down over-
all, but not for Pruitt9s Air
Cavalry unit, which was at
the tip of the spear in the stra-
tegic I Corps A Shau Valley.
Pruitt was flying three com-
bat missions a day during that
year.
<When I came back from
Vietnam, my first assign-
ment was with the Fort Dix
Casualty Branch,= he told
The Nugget.
Part of his job was to
inform family members that
their loved ones had been
killed in Vietnam.
<I rang doorbells,= he said.
<It was a little tough.=
Given his background, the
mission of Folds of Honor
touches Pruitt deeply.
Folds of Honor was
founded by Major Dan
Rooney, an F-16 pilot with
the Oklahoma Air National
Guard, after he witnessed
the twin brother of Corporal
Brock Bucklin escorting his
brother9s remains to his fam-
ily after Corporal Bucklin
was killed in action in Iraq in
2006. A memorial coin with
Corporal Bucklin9s name
will be provided to donors at
Aspen Lakes.
For more information on
Folds of Honor, visit https://
www.foldsofhonor.org.
Non-golfers can also
participate by donating
to the mission at www.
support.foldsofhonor.org/
goto/AspenLakesGolfClub.
Pruitt reported last week
that Aspen Lakes has already
received more than $500 in
straight donations. He hopes
to raise $5,000 through Labor
Day Weekend.
Pruitt9s journey to a career
PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS
Howie Pruitt is spearheading Aspen Lakes Golf Course’s Patriot Golf Day
fundraiser for Folds of Honor.
as a golf professional was a
circuitous one.
He took up the game in his
teens, living in Columbus,
Ohio, the hometown of the
great Jack Nicklaus.
<Nobody in my family
played golf,= he said.
He played through his
career in the U.S. Army,
including time on the links
with the U.S. Army champ.
Pruitt ended his service in
the Army in Germany, then
stayed in Europe in a civil-
ian capacity for a decade.
He and his wife then moved
to Silicon Valley, where
Pruitt built a career in human
resources for the high-tech
industry.
When the couple moved
to Bend, Pruitt worked in the
mortgage and financial arena
for a number of years before
deciding to pursue a lifelong
dream 4 to become a golf
professional.
Pruitt became a PGA
member and has served as an
officer. He is currently sec-
tion secretary for the Pacific
Northwest Section. On
September 1, he will become
vice president.
Pruitt has served as
Aspen Lakes9 PGA Head
Professional and Director of
Player Development for the
past six years, and he loves it
there.
<This is a great golf
course,= he said. <Great fam-
ily 4 the (Cyrus) family is
great to work for.=
For more information,
contact Howie Pruitt, PGA,
at 541-549-4653.
15
was a long-time resident of
Sisters. They married, and
Leanne moved from the <Big
Apple= to her new home in
Sisters.
Leanne is preceded in
death by both parents (Nina
and Nelson); her older
brother Nelson II; and her
husband, Bill McConville.
SAVE HUNDREDS ON NEARLY NEW,
QUALITY PRE-OWNED RVS!
COMPLETE INVENTORY AT WWW.LARRYSRV.COM
2005 Lance 881: 8'8", short-bed
pickup OK, one slide, rear entry,
3-burner stove, under-step storage.
VIN 157115 .........................$13,999
2011 HIDEOUT 26RLSWE:
29'11”, A/C, one large slide, U-shape
dining, chairs, couch, tub, rear-view
window. VIN 203092 ........... $14,995
2007 HURRICANE 32R: 32', gas, 2 slides, A/C, generator,
couch, recliner, microwave, oven, double sink, 26K miles.
VIN A16775................................................................$39,995
Sisters’ Year-Round Residential
& Commercial Window Cleaning
2018 Sonoma 201RD: 25', A/C,
rear bay window over large U-shape
dinette, stainless steel micro and LP
oven. VIN 081245 ...............$20,995
Insured & Bonded
Veteran & Senior Discounts
2013 DENALI 246RK: 27’, A/C,
one slide, full-length awning,
U-shape dining, all-weather package.
VIN 313044 .........................$18,995
541-510-7918
2006
20
06 I ITASCA
TASC
TA
SCA
SC
A SUNOVA
SUNO
SU
NOVA
NO
VA 35N:
3 5N
5N: 35',
3 5' gas,
gas 2 slides,
slililidd es A/C,
A /C
generator, couch, chair, large shower, oven, lots of storage.
VIN 408075 ................................................................$34,995
Live Life Better!
55 & Over • Pets warmly welcomed • Independent living
Chef-prepared meals included • Transportation services
No long-term commitment
Come For
Learn more: Free gift & chef-created lunch
A Tour And
for you and your family when you mention this ad. Free Lunch!
2005 GRANITE RIDGE 3100: 31',
gas, one slide, full awning, under-bed
storage, entertainment center, micro,
LP oven. ONLY 56K MILES!
VIN A77739.........................$29,995
2006 NORTHERN LITE 2000:
10'2", A/C, rear entry, cooktop, oven,
refrigerator, new mattress, sleeps 4.
VIN 80506N ........................$14,995
Prices effective until 8/28/19
CONSIGNMENTS WANTED!
Call 541-923-4564
3000 S. Hwy 97, Redmond
541-318-0450 | 1460 NE 27th Street, Bend | stonelodgeretirement.com
Sales: Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sun., 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Service: Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Parts: Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.-6 p.m.