Luther B. Prickett's Obituary
Memorial services for Luther B. Prickett, 82, of Leesville, will be held at 6:00 P.M. on Friday, March 19, 2021 in the Labby Memorial Funeral Home of Leesville. Visitation will be Friday, March 19, 2021 from 5:00 P.M until service time in the funeral home.
Luther B. "Bill" Prickett, 82, formerly of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, died March 2, 2021, in Leesville, Louisiana.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Mary Litaker Prickett and Hugh Tarpley Prickett, Sr. Bill is survived by the love of his life of 51 years, wife Susan Cottrell Prickett; two brothers, Milton Jerry Prickett (Ruthie); Hugh Tarpley Prickett, Jr. (Jeanne); and by beloved nieces and great-nieces, nephews and great-nephews, and many dear friends.
Bill was a renowned and well-respected leader in the field of deaf education. As the son of deaf parents, he was devoted to his students and committed to excellence in their education. He was superintendent at the Louisiana School for the Deaf in Baton Rouge from 1993 to 2006. Scheduled to retire in the fall of 2005, he delayed retirement after Hurricane Katrina to provide leadership continuity into the new school year and to ensure support for the students and their families, and for faculty and staff devastated by the hurricane.
After military service in the U.S. Marine Corps, Bill graduated Magna Cum Laude from Auburn University with a degree in Accounting. He then earned a master's degree from Appalachian State University in Education of Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. A lifelong learner, Bill continued his studies in leadership at the University of Pittsburgh and California State University at Northridge, specializing in administration of programs for deaf and hard of hearing children. Bill taught and served in leadership roles in several of the nation's schools for students who are deaf and blind, including in a previous role at the Louisiana School for the Deaf. He also worked at the Maryland School for the Deaf, the American School for the Deaf in Connecticut, and the Montana School for the Deaf and the Blind. In 2006, he was awarded the prestigious Robert R. Davila Award of Merit for "unique and meritorious contributions to the field of deaf education with national level impact" from the Council of Educators and Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD). As a former Montana colleague recalled, he "always put the kids first.
Cremation will be accorded; a memorial service is planned for March 19, 2021 at 5 p.m. at Labby Memorial Funeral Home. The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in honor of Bill's and Susan's love of their many pets.
Words of comfort may be expressed to the Prickett Family at www.labbymemorial.com
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