John Crayton Pruitt Jr.

John Crayton Pruitt Jr. MD passed away on October 21, 2024. He was born on July 29th, 1956 in St. Petersburg, FL to Frances Miller McSwain and John Crayton Pruitt Sr. He is survived by his wife, Johanna, his two children, Evan S. Pruitt (Mark Sellmyer) and Eric Yates Pruitt (Amelia Schaub); five grandchildren, Avea , Crayton “Cy”, Paige and Julian Sellmyer, and Vesper Pruitt; and two sisters, Helen Wallace (Peter Wallace) and Natalie Judge. Predeceased by his brother Mark Pruitt and his parents.

Crayton, as everyone called him, grew up in St. Petersburg, FL where he had an eccentric childhood surrounded by a large family, close friends and exotic pets. He attended St. Petersburg High School, where he was proudly the President of the Rocket Club. He attended Emory University, however he never graduated because he was accepted to the University of Florida College of Medicine as a Junior. Shortly after graduating from UF Med, he married Johanna Yates on September 5th, 1981. They moved to Salt Lake City, where Crayton completed a Cardiothoracic Surgical residency at the University of Utah. In 1988, they settled in Clearwater, where he joined Cardiac Surgical Associates and began a prolific career in Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Crayton had an artistic soul with a free-spirit. His profound love for classical guitar began at a very young age, and he was both a committed player and self-taught luthier throughout his life. He was also an adventurer of the first degree. He loved skiing in Colorado and Vermont, and white water kayaking in North Carolina, Tennessee and Idaho (to name a few). Both of these pastimes eventually took him to Chile, where he enjoyed many trips with friends and family. He was also a committed cyclist, riding the “Loop” every Saturday with some of his closest friends. He spoke so fondly about completing the triple-bypass ride in Colorado late into his life.

If he was not in the operating room, adventure seeking, or designing his next guitar - he was on the water. Boating was one of the things he loved the most. Weekend rides and week-long trips were the best of times with his children. The beautiful vigor of the ocean brought with it a conflicting sense of calm and some precarious trials and tribulations. With SeaTow on speed dial, Crayton was the king of misadventure. His fearlessness sustained him when the outcomes were truly unknown.

Crayton’s unique sense of self coupled with a diversity of passions brought such richness to everyone’s life, and all who witnessed his joy in action will remember his awe-struck smile and mischievous twinkle in his eye while he said “What could possibly go wrong?”….

Celebration of Life on November 2, 2024 from 4:00-6:00 at The Belleview Inn; 25 Belleview Blvd Belleair, Fl 33756

In lieu of flowers, please direct donations to the Picower Institute Aging Brain Initiative: https://giving.mit.edu/search/node/%22The%20Aging%20Brain%20Initiative%20Fund%22