Obituary of Paul Edward Prunty

Paul Edward Prunty, a beloved and respected husband, father, brother, and public servant, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on January 11, 2026, after a lengthy illness. Paul was born on October 9, 1943, in Fairmont, son of the late Edward W. and Pauline Meredith Prunty. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Barbara Bowles Prunty; their sons David Patick Mezzanotte and Aaron Craig Prunty; daughter-in-law Anne Mezzanotte; sister Nancy Myers and brother Allen Prunty of Charleston; grandchildren Jason Mezzanotte, Jordan Mezzanotte Toothman, Gianna Mezzanotte, and Lucca Mezzanotte; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brother William Prunty and sister Betty van Hook. Paul was a graduate of East Fairmont High School, attended Fairmont State College, and served in the U.S. Army Reserve, attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant. Paul was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates from Marion County 11 times between 1972 and 2000. He represented both Marion and Taylor Counties during the 1970s. Paul was elected 7 times as a Republican and 4 times as a Democrat and was frequently the leading vote getter in Primary and General Elections during the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000. As a Republican, Prunty was repeatedly elected despite Democrats having a greater than 2-to-1 voter registration advantage in Marion County. At the time of his retirement from the Legislature in 2002, Paul was the longest serving legislator from Marion County, a record only recently broken by Paul’s good friend Mike Caputo. Prunty is the only person in West Virginia history to be elected to the House of Delegates by way of an election contest and a vote by the members of the House of Delegates. This was in 1977, after he and former Delegate Nick Fantasia were tied on election night 1976 for the final seat representing Marion and Taylor Counties. In 2002, when Paul retired from the House of Delegates, the West Virginia Legislature unanimously passed a Resolution naming the Northbound I-79 bridge over the Tygart River the “Paul E. Prunty Bridge,” in honor of his long and distinguished career as a legislator. The Southbound Bridge is named after Paul’s brother, William, a popular music teacher of all ages, Instructor at Fairmont State University, and an accomplished music composer. In a special edition newspaper insert published on the dedication day of the Prunty Bridges, The Fairmont Times praised Paul for a “virtual lifetime of devoted service.” Paul was very proud of his family heritage and strove to carry on its long history of public service. Ancestors on his mother’s side, Morgan Morgan, Zackquill Morgan, and David Morgan were among the original settlers of what would become West Virginia. Morgan Morgan is recognized by many as the first white settler in West Virginia. Zackquill Morgan founded Morgantown in 1782. Paul’s great-uncle, Ephraim Morgan, was West Virginia’s 16th governor between 1921 to 1925. Paul was also a direct descendant of John Prunty, who served in the Virginia Legislature between 1785 and 1815 and founded Pruntytown in 1798. Paul spent 40 years as a maintenance machinist at the Fairmont Westinghouse/Phillips Lighting Plant. He was an avid sportsman, environmentalist, lover of our state’s mountains, streams, and wildlife, a devoted supporter of the Right to Life, and a leading spokesman for the working men and women of West Virginia. He was the sponsor and co-sponsor of several state laws and was particularly proud of his leadership role in the establishment of Valley Falls State Park and his longstanding and active support of Prickett’s Fort State Park and Fairmont State University. In addition to his legislative services, Paul served for several years on the West Virginia Labor Management Board and other local and state boards. Delegate Prunty was a member of numerous organizations including the Association of Retarded Citizens of Marion County; Valley Falls State Park Foundation; West Virginians for Life; the NRA; and Sons of the American Revolution. As a Westinghouse employee, he was a member of the International Union of Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers, AFL-CIO. For many years after he retired from active politics, Paul was very active with the Marion County Disability Action Center, Special Olympics, and the annual Morgan Reunion Committee, particularly the 100th reunion at Prickett’s Fort State Park in 2014, which was attended by more than 500 descendants of Morgan Morgan and their families from 27 states and four countries. A strong family man and a devoted follower of Jesus Christ, Paul believed in the power of prayer and was always pleased to share his faith and counsel with anyone who was interested. Paul was a member of Trinity Assembly of God. Memorial contributions may be made in Paul’s memory to the Marion County Special Olympics, 448 Leonard Avenue, Fairmont, West Virginia 26554, or the Marion County Disability Action Center, 448 Leonard Avenue, Fairmont, West Virginia 26554. The family has entrusted the funeral arrangements to the Ford Funeral Home, Ford Chapel, 201 Columbia Street, Fairmont, West Virginia. Friends will be received on Thursday, January 15, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and again on Friday, January 16, from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. The funeral service will be held in the funeral home on Friday at 11:00 a.m. with Reverend James Saunders officiating. A service of committal will follow in the Pisgah Cemetery, Fairmont. Online condolences may be made to the family at /www.fordfuneralhomes.com.