- Date Of Birth: January 24, 1921
- Date Of Death: August 2, 2022
- State: Michigan
Albert J. Pruss, 101, passed away August 2, 2022 at his home in Midland. He was born January 24, 1921 on a farm near Snyder, Nebraska to Albert B. Pruss and Beata (Bessie) (Tresnak) Pruss. He was the eldest of 10 sons. Following graduation from high school, Albert moved to Midland in 1940. He started work at Dow Chemical Company in 1941 at the Powerhouse. He worked his way up through the ranks at Dow and after obtaining a degree in Mathematics became a supervisor and eventually was promoted to superintendent of the Instrumentation and Refrigeration departments. Albert retired from Dow in 1982.
Al served 37 months in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. He served one year in the Panama Canal Zone as a Communications Director for the Air Base.
Al married Selma (Sami) Emma Kapanka on June 19, 1942 in the Rectory of St. Brigid Parish in Midland. Together they raised a family of six children: Ellen Snedeker, Cathy Coultrip, Tom (Betty) Pruss, Doug (Mindie) Pruss, Dianne (Robert Milliman) Pruss and Todd (Laura Hackett) Pruss. Al and Sami enjoyed travelling to Nebraska to see his parents and brothers, and a trip to Arkansas to meet his second cousins. They enjoyed dancing (especially the polkas), gardening, canning and their beautiful flower gardens. He also took great joy in his wine-making, creating wines from cherries, grapes and handpicked elderberries. Al and Sami were together for over 60 years until her passing on February 17, 2003.
Al met his second wife Lois Schwandt in 2006 while playing Euchre at a senior center. They married August 23, 2008. They enjoyed dancing and took many trips abroad including Ireland, Scotland, Australia and Italy.
Al was a founding member of Blessed Sacrament Parish. He was active in church and served as head usher and performed many technical related tasks around the church such as roof maintenance and boiler operations.
Al is survived by his wife Lois, his six children, seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his only remaining brother Fr. Rodney Pruss.
Al was predeceased by his parents, wife Selma, brothers: Eugene, Francis, James, Emil, Edward, Richard, Leonard and Theodore and son-in-law Larry Snedeker.
To those who knew him, Al will be remembered as a hard-working, generous family man whose strong Catholic faith was his life guide.
