Nina Beth Church

Services for Cottonwood resident NinaBeth (Pruitt) Church are Saturday, March 12, at 10:30 a.m. in Godard Hall of Verde Valley Manor. Mrs. Church attended a one-room school in Casa Grande and later schools in Glendale, South Phoenix and Wilson as a constant A student. She had worked in many areas of food service. She had worked at Mingus Union High School as a security officer and was known as "Sgt. Pepper" by the students. Her uncle, Cpl. John Henry Pruitt, was a recipient of two Medals of Honor. She was a member of Beta Sigma Phi, Laureate Alpha Phi, Red Hat Society and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her hobbies included sewing, hairdressing and making wedding cakes (of which she made over 100). She also volunteered her time and love to everyone as a Hospice caregiver. Survivors include her best friend and companion of 10 years, Frank Spencer; son Gene Elliot Groves and his wife Rhonda (Bazzill) Groves; her father Hurley B. Pruitt (the first marshal of Scottsdale) and mother Grace H. Adams Pruitt; sisters Linda H. Albanese and Georgia E. Ahrlich; grandchildren Matthew Bazzil, Cameron Bazzil and Cydney Rumpf; great-grandchildren Hanna and Grace Rumpf and Jaden Bazzil; and 20 nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by a brother, John Henry Pruitt. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to Hospice of Cottonwood.