Ray Eldon “Rainbow Ray” Pruter, 87, formerly of Russell, died April 29, 2014 at his home.
Born Dec. 13, 1926, in Rooks County, south of Natoma, he was the son of Edwin and Clara (Massengale) Pruter. He grew up and attended school in Natoma. On Sept. 28, 1951, he married Norva Weldon Natoma.  They made their home in Natoma until 1959 when they moved to Hays and later moved to Russell in 1969 where he resided until 2012, then moved to Great Bend. He was employed in the oil fields around Natoma before taking a job in Hays with Bond Bread Company. He worked there for 10 years before moving to Russell. He worked for the Rainbow Bread Company until his retirement in 1987.
He served in the United States Army from 1945 thru 1946 at Ft. Hood, Texas. He attended the Church of God in Natoma, Otterbein Methodist Church in Russell, and later attended the Church of the Nazarene in Great Bend. He also was a member of the Russell American Legion Post No. 99.
Survivors include his wife, Norva of the home; daughter, JoDell Glick of Pittsburg; sons, Dale E. Pruter and Kenny Pruter, both of Great Bend; four grandchildren; and five great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister Stella Doty; and brothers Otto Pruter, Marcel Pruter and two infant brothers.
A Celebration of Ray’s Life will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell. Burial will follow at the Natoma City Cemetery, with military rites by the Russell Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 6240 Honor Guard.  Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, at the mortuary, with the family present from 6 to 7 p.m. Memorials are suggested to the Great Bend Church of the Nazarene Building fund in care of the funeral home.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary
610 N. Maple
Russell, KS, 67665
Great Bend (Kan) Tribune, May 1, 2014