Joan (Trier) Pruski

November 3, 1948-May 12, 2026

Joan Pruski, 77, died May 12 in Springfield, OR following a prolonged period of living with COPD. While her quality of life suffered in later years as breathing became more difficult, her love of life and ability to forge deep connections with those around her was unwavering.

Born in Chicago in 1948 to what would become a household of 13 people, she moved to Oregon in 2018 to be closer to her children and grandchildren.

Joan loved sitting outside, whether with a book, listening to the birds, watching a summer storm roll in, or taking in a simple sunset. She cultivated beautiful gardens, and her rose bushes were the talk of the neighborhood.

Most of all, Joan loved helping things grow. As her own children grew up and moved out of the house, she nannied other children, investing deeply in the families she supported.

Joan worked hard to learn all she could about those around her – these included neighbors, extended family, friends of her children, and increasingly in later years, the doctors and support staff who helped care for her. It was not uncommon to be drawn into a 30-minute story about her pulmonologist’s spouse’s cousin’s wedding.

While many people were touched by Joan’s kindness and affection over the course of her life, much of her diminishing energy in recent years was occupied by her grandchildren. Her cupboards were always filled with their favorite snacks and treats, and hours were spent working on puzzles, reading books, and painting fingernails.

Among many friends and extended family, Joan is survived by her sons Joseph and Andrew Pruski, daughter-in-law Suzannah Pruski, grandchildren Juniper and Ellis Pruski, sisters Cheryl (Trier) Reynolds and Dawn (Trier) Kidd, and brothers Dino Trier, Gino Trier, Tommy Trier, Daniel Trier, and Robbie Trier. She was preceded in death by her parents Daniel Trier and Shirley (Miller) Trier, sisters Barbara (Trier) Skulski, Jill (Trier) Gaches, and brother Michael Trier.