Annie Lorraine Pruehs 1924-2009

PRUEHS CLARK HOGAN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 1/7/2010 at 19:53:32

Sioux City Journal
27 Aug 2009

CUSHING, Iowa - Annie Lorraine Clark Pruehs, 85, of Cushing passed away on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009, at Elmwood Care Centre in Onawa, Iowa.

Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at the Cushing United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Sheryl Ashley and the Rev. Dr. Dee Ann Klapp officiating. Private inurnment will be held at the Cushing Cemetery. The family will greet friends one hour prior to the service at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Pearson Funeral Home in Onawa.

Annie Lorraine was born Aug. 14, 1924, in Memphis, Tenn., the oldest child of John Maynard Clark and Annie Patience Hogan Clark. Lorraine grew up in Memphis and received her education there. She attended Messick High School, Memphis State College, Bethel College, Methodist Hospital School of Nursing, where she was a member of the Cadet Nurse Corp.

In 1936, she received the Lord, was baptized and became a member of the East Side Cumberland Presbyterian Church. She was active in this church until she moved to Iowa. In her youth, Lorraine was active in many sports, Girl Scouts, youth groups, a member of the choir and part-time organist.

On Jan. 20, 1945, she was united in marriage to Russell Howard Pruehs at Senatobia, Miss. To this union was born one daughter, Ann Howard. Russ and Lorraine celebrated their 50th anniversary the year before Russ passed away March 31, 1996.

In 1946, following service in the Air Force, Russ and Lorraine moved to Cushing to make their home and remained in Cushing throughout the years except for 18 months during the Korean conflict, when Russ was recalled to the Air Force. They ran the Pruehs Garage in Cushing for many years.

Both Russ and Lorraine were active in the community of Cushing. They belonged to the Fire Department, the American Legion and Auxiliary and the Methodist Church.

Lorraine's dedication to her family was always first, but her dedication to her God and country was always uppermost in her activities. This was shown through the many years of devotion to the American Legion Auxiliary, her church, and the Cushing Fire and Rescue Squad. Lorraine drove school bus for more than 40 years, served as a 4-H leader, MYF group adviser, on the board of the American Red Cross, was township chairman of the Republican Party, and was a member of the Cushing Firettes. She served not only the local Cushing American Legion Auxiliary, but was also a past county president, past ninth district president, and a past state vice president. She served on the Iowa Girls State Staff for 18 years, several of those on the board of directors. She always had a number of state appointments throughout the years. She was honored by her unit with a life membership in the American Legion Auxiliary in 1969.

The thing Lorraine was most proud of was being chairman of the Cushing United Methodist Church board. She was chairman for 12 years and served under three pastors (all women).

Cushing Fire and Rescue was a love for both Russ and Lorraine. She served as training officer for the squad for 12 years. The young people in this group were very special to her.

Music and poetry were a great part if her life and she often said she could not live without music.

Her guide for living was the Serenity Prayer. People, not things, were important. She wanted to be remembered not for what she did or did not do, but for the love and understanding she tried to give to others.

She is survived by Ann Crawford, her pride and joy; granddaughter, Amy Phelps; her grandson-in-law, Lee Phelps; two great grandsons, Tyler and Tate Phelps; a great-granddaughter, Hailey Ann Phelps; two stepgranddaughters and their families; sister-in-laws, Jean Chapman and Gale Clark of California; several nieces and nephews; and the families of Ron and Bev Copple, John and Dee Ann Klapp, Joel and Mary Tyler - her chosen family members.

Preceding her in death were her husband, Russell; sister, Mary Bigbee; brother, John Maynard Clark Jr.; son-in-law, John Crawford; a nephew; and two brothers-in-law.