Sarah Pruss Haynes

Sarah Virginia Pruss Haynes spent 77 years tending gardens, decorating for Christmas, feeding people and wildlife alike, and keeping up with the lives of those she loved. On Sunday, June 7, 2026, she left this world peacefully, leaving behind a family and friends who loved her deeply.

Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Sarah was raised in North Little Rock and attended Saint Patrick School, Mount Saint Mary’s Academy, and North Little Rock High School, where she graduated with the Class of 1967.

A devoted wife of a nuclear power engineer for 55 years, she moved around the country throughout her adulthood as she raised one handful of a son and built a successful career of her own as a bookkeeper. She and Larry spent many years in Tennessee, and Sarah eventually retired in 2025 before returning home to Arkansas, the place that always held her heart.

Sarah’s life could perhaps best be summed up by what might lovingly be called the “3 G’s”: Gardening, Gossiping (good stuff only, of course), and Giving.

She was an extraordinary gardener whose beautiful yard in Murfreesboro, Tennessee was featured on the 2004 Secret Garden Tour. She loved sitting on the back porch with her dear friend Mona, catching up on the latest happenings and solving the world’s problems one conversation at a time. Most of all, she gave her love generously to her family, her friends, her co-workers, and even the deer she and Larry faithfully fed on the mountain in Jasper Heights in Tennessee.

Whether baking cookies with her granddaughters, making sure that Larry had eaten, sending thoughtful texts to her siblings, proudly sharing family news on Facebook, or tending the koi pond she loved so much years ago, Sarah’s greatest joy was caring for others.

She treasured many things, including her mother’s collection of bells, countless vintage and special salt and pepper shakers, her beloved kitchen chickens, and anything and everything Christmas. She was known for her non-traditional Thanksgiving Italian dinner, featuring her legendary lasagna. She will also be remembered for her fierce loyalty to the people she loved and her protective nature.

Sarah valued quality over quantity in friendship. She invested deeply in a chosen few, and those fortunate enough to be among them knew exactly how much they were loved.

She is survived by her loving husband, Lawrence “Larry” Haynes, Jr.; her one and only son, Lawrence “Sunny” Haynes, III, and his wife, Erin, whom she loved as her own daughter; her cherished granddaughters, Etta and Anna Ray Haynes; Etta’s fiancé, Altan Turnbow; her siblings, Barbara Hahn (Gene), Lynn Pruss (Helen), Debbie Palmquist (Randy), Tommy Pruss (Sharon), James Pruss (Michele), Lori Rhoades (Gary), Lisa Pruss (Phillip), Carl “Bo” Pruss (Deborah), and her sister whom she shared a very special bond with, Vicki Weed; her brother-in-law and very special sister-in-law, Steve and Sandy Haynes; her dear friend, Mona Maynord (Tim); and more than fifty beloved nieces and nephews, along with their spouses and children.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Felix and Mildred Pruss; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Lawrence Haynes, Sr. and Lillian Haynes; her brothers, Donny Pruss and Larry Pruss; her niece and nephew, Jamie and Justin Pruss; and her brother-in-law, Rick Weed.

A visitation will be held Sunday, June 14, 2026, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home. A rosary will immediately follow.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated Monday, June 15, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church.

In honor of Sarah’s favorite color, guests are invited to wear purple if they wish. Those who would like to send flowers are especially encouraged to consider purple irises, Sarah’s favorite flower. Memorial giftsmay also be made to St. Patrick Catholic Church or Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church.

The family takes comfort in imagining Sarah reunited with loved ones gone before her, catching up on all the news she missed and making sure everyone has had something to eat.

To know Sarah was to be cared for. To be loved by Sarah was one of life’s greatest gifts.