Judith (Gitz) PRUCHNICKI

PRUCHNICKI, GITZ

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:47

Judith Gitz Pruchnicki
December 29, 1944 --- June 1, 2021

Judith Pruchnicki died on Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at the age of 76 in Des Moines, Iowa after a year-long battle with leukemia. Judi will be remembered at a visitation on Wednesday, June 30th from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Iles Dunn’s Chapel, 2121 Grand Avenue, and her funeral will be on Thursday, July 1st at 10:00 a.m. at Grace United Methodist Church, 3700 Cottage Grove Ave, Des Moines. There will be a reception to follow at The Des Moines Botanical Garden from 12:00-2:00 p.m. She will be privately inurned at Glendale Cemetery on University Avenue.

Judi grew up in Clarion, Iowa and moved to Chicago in the 1960s to become a flight attendant/service manager for TWA. Her flights regularly took her from Chicago to London, Paris, Tel Aviv and Rome. In 1981, she married Michael Pruchnicki, and they moved to Des Moines in 1989. Since then, she dedicated her time as a volunteer with various organizations, including the Des Moines Founders Garden Club, PEO, the PTA, Festival of Trees, Young Artist Competition and the Des Moines Symphony Auxiliary. In 2018, the City of Des Moines Parks Department awarded her “Volunteer of the Year” for her work planting disease resistant elm trees. Her life in Des Moines was filled with her care for her family, her love of cooking, and her delight in gardening. The family spent the summers in Clarion at Lake Cornelia, where she enjoyed sailing, swimming and watching sunsets.

Judi was vivacious and charming, never losing the spirit of adventure that took her around the world. She is survived by her husband, Michael, their two children, James and Elizabeth Pruchnicki, her sisters, Betty and Cheri Gitz, and a devoted extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Muriel Gitz.

Any gifts made in memory of Judi Pruchnicki should be sent to The Des Moines Botanical Garden. ARRANGEMENTS BY ILES DUNN'S CHAPEL