Tadeusz Jan Pruchniewicz

If there is one word to sum up all there is to know about Granddad Tad, it would be "SURVIVOR." He was born May 13th, 1921 to Anna & Stanislaw, a struggling mechanic in Poland. His early years were spent impoverished, developing a strong work ethic. One of his favorite sayings was, "Are you working hard, or hardly working?", meant to encourage all of us in our endeavors, in his own stern way. Tad graduated from Wootsz High School & then became a Lance Corporal for the Polish Army in 1939. He rejoined under French command in 1940, when he was captured by Germans during the Holocaust. Tad was interned at a concentration camp for nearly 6 months, before he & a buddy noticed one of the Nazi watch guards had a habit of leaving his post frequently to relieve himself. They waited for his back to be turned, made their escape over a high barb-wired fence, & ran until they reached France. Granddad rejoined the Polish Land Forces in the United Kingdom under British Command in 1941. He enlisted with the Polish Resettlement Corps in 1946, was relegated to Class "W" Reserve, and was finally discharged honorably in 1947. Tad had been awarded the Defense Medal in 1939 & the War Medal (WWII) in 1945 for his faithful service. In 1945, Tad married the love of his life, Lorna (whom he affectionately called Lornetschka), a Scottish lady living in England. At their Winter wedding in London, instead of throwing rice, the guests threw snow! The couple's only child was born on V-E Day. The Victory in Europe inspired them to give the name, Victoria, to their little baby girl. At age 13, Vicky desired to attend Catholic School in the States, so after researching the best place to live, they immigrated to Santa Monica. Tad finally became naturalized as an American citizen in 1964, and remained with his wife in California. His daughter married, moved to Puyallup, & gave him 3 grandchildren, who enjoyed staying Summers in the sun with their Nana & Granddad. Sadly, Vicky passed at age 33. The loss of his only child was devastating, yet he turned his energies toward his grandchildren, taking them on road trips to Yosemite & Lake Tahoe in his prized Cadillac, riding Space Mountain at Disneyland, and teaching the kids to bet on the horseraces at Hollywood Park. Tad worked his way up through the fine tool industry as a fitter, locksmith, and finally as a foreman for Parker Pens. He was also a very skilled jewelry-maker. Granddad knew 6 languages, and enjoyed word puzzles, game shows such as Wheel of Fortune & Jeopardy (a daily event not to be missed), soccer matches, singing opera, traveling to Vegas to shoot craps (the high-roller), as well as wining, dining, & dancing with Lorna. He ran 3 miles nearly every day on the beach & loved to swim in the bay with his grandkids. He also took a keen interest in politics, current events, stock market, as well as rare coins & foreign currency. Tad & Lorna enjoyed their life together through 56 years of marriage, until her death parted them. She was age 77. In 2008, he moved to Washington, closer to his granddaughter. He charmed the staff at Hearthside Manor dementia care, as he was always a “ladies’ man”. Incredibly, Tad was able to walk, run, & even dance again after only 3 days of residency, through the devotion of his caregivers, who lovingly called him "Poppie". He fought like a tiger, yet the Lord took him home peacefully on the morning of August 29th, 2012. "God grant me a good sword & no use for it." ~ Polish Prayer Granddad's wishes to have ashes scattered at the ocean off the California coastline will be honored this Autumn. Tad will be dearly, sorely missed. ~ A Pole's Toast ~ Zamilosc, mlodosc, i dobra awanture. [To love, youth, & good arguments!] A Word: A careless word may kindle strife; a cruel word may wreck a life. A bitter word may hate instill; a brutal word may smite & kill. A gracious word may smooth the way; a joyous word may light the day. A timely word may lessen stress; a loving word may heal & bless. People can be divided into three groups: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened! Reflections of the Heart Out of this life I shall never take Things of silver & gold I make. All that I cherish & hoard away After I leave, on earth must stay. Though I have toiled for a painting rare To hang on the wall, I must leave it there. Though I call it mine & boast its worth, I must give it up when I leave this earth. All that I gather & all that I keep I must leave behind when I fall asleep. And often I wonder what shall I own In that other life when I pass alone? What shall I find, and what shall I see In that soul that answers the call for me? Shall the great Judge learn when my task is through That my spirit has gathered some riches too? Or shall at last it be mine to find That all I worked for I left behind? If you were here I would say thank you - Thank you for knowing me If you were here I would say thank you - Thank you for understanding me If you were here I would say thank you - Thank you for making me so happy But since you are away I'll just think of you softly & thank you in my dreams ~Susan Polis Schutz