William Edward Prout

AIKEN, SC - Dr. William E. Prout, "Bill", 92, of Aiken, South Carolina, was returned into God's grace and caring hands on Sunday, December 15, 2013, at Aiken Regional Hospital. A celebration of life service will be held at 2 pm, Saturday, December 21 at Millbrook Baptist Church, 223 South Aiken Boulevard, Aiken, South Carolina, The Reverend Henry Chennault will be officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in Southlawn Cemetery in Aiken. Honorary Pallbearers will be the Bill Whalen Sunday School Class. Friends may visit with the family from 1:00 until 2:00 p.m., Saturday in the Church vestibule, prior to the funeral. Bill was born December 8, 1921 in Huntington, West Virginia to George and Lillian (Gregory) Prout. He graduated from Russell High School, Russell, Kentucky in 1938 and received his undergraduate degree from Marshall University before serving 4 and ½ years in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Bill was the Quartermaster on PT-191 in the South Pacific Campaign and earned the Presidential Unit Citation Award for Squadron Twelve, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 3 bronze stars and the World War II Victory Medal. He also served as an officer on the destroyer USS O’Brien DD-725 After returning to the United States, he completed his Master's Degree from Marshall University and went on to earn his Doctorate Degree in Physical Chemistry from the University of Texas in 1951. Upon graduation, he was recruited by E.I. DuPont to train at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory in Schenectady, New York before transferring to Aiken in 1953 to join a team of 30 chemists and nuclear engineers at the Savannah River Site who were successful in helping to build the hydrogen bomb before the Russians during the Cold War. He retired at the end of 1981 from DuPont after 30 years of service. A life-time member of the Sons of the American Revolution, Bill's great, great, grandfather, John Prout was a soldier in the War of 1812. His great, great, great grandfather, William Prout was a soldier in the American Revolution. An avid sports fan, Bill worked to get Dixie youth baseball started in Aiken County, serving as an umpire when volunteers for this job were scarce. He also worked as a score-keeper for the Masters Golf Tournament for 43 years. Bill was a member of Millbrook Baptist Church at the time of his death. He was an active member in the church, teaching Sunday school and working on many committees and projects. Throughout his time spent in Aiken, Bill served as an interim pastor and Deacon for many Baptist Churches in the surrounding area, was a Gideon and Moderator of the Aiken Baptist Association, in order to further the Kingdom of God and proclaim his love for Christ. Bill is survived by his beloved wife of 68 years, June Lee Prout, and his three children, son, Dale Ellison Prout and his wife Ginger of Aiken, SC, daughter Dona Prout Willing and her husband Fred of Summerville, SC and daughter Denise Prout Hill and her husband Mike of Moore, SC. He was blessed with six grandchildren, Stacey Prout Herrin and husband Shane, Brannon William Prout, Kristin June Fry and husband Jason, Allison Dawn Webb and husband Daniel, Paul Judson and Allan Thomas Hill, five great grandchildren, Grace, Natalie, Thomas and Eliza Herrin and Sutton Fry along with several nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his two sisters and three brothers. Above all, Bill will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather by his family who remain on earth, waiting to one day be reunited with him in Heaven. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Millbrook Baptist Church, 223 South Aiken Boulevard, Aiken, SC 29803. Please visit the online guestbook at www.shellhouseriversfuneralhome.com. SHELLHOUSE – RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, 715 EAST PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William Edward Prout, please visit our flower store.