John J. Pruis, former president of Ball State, is remembered for his dedication to education and the community.
Pruis, who served as president of the university from 1968 to 1978, died Jan. 15 at the age of 92. He and his wife Angeline celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary last September.
David Pruis, his oldest son, said he will always remember how much his father cared and loved his family and Ball State.
“Education was important to him, and he just wanted that experience to be the best it could possibly be for the students at Ball State,” David said.
He said his father loved seeing students’ achievements and performances, whether it was in sports, on stage or in the arts.
“He had some great stories and some great relationships,” David said. “There are many good friends that are still at the university and the Muncie community.”
One of those relationships John Pruis had was with David Bahlmann, president emeritus of the Ball State University Foundation, of which he was a member.
Bahlmann said John Pruis acted as a mentor to him when he became president of the foundation back in 1990.
“He was a very scholarly individual, but he was a very engaging and accomplished person to be around,” Bahlmann said, “He was very willing to listen, talk and share new ideas and go through new ideas with people.”
John Pruis had a wealth of knowledge about the university and the community. He guided Bahlmann when he started his new career path in Muncie.
“He had a good cross section of his leadership skills, his excellent scholarship and his statesmanship as a leader,” Bahlmann said. “He was an outstanding person.”
After his tenure as university president, John Pruis worked in corporate relations at Ball Corporation. He retired as vice president of corporate relations in December 1988.
Scott McCarty, director of communications and engagement for Ball Corp., said he spoke with John Pruis numerous times about communications.
“[John] Pruis had an unending passion for inspiring great communications at Ball Corporation, and his experience and knowledge made us better communicators,” McCarty said, “To this day I remember some of those lessons, and they continue to be a part of communications at Ball [Corp.]”
According to John Pruis’s corporate bio provided by McCarty, he served on the board of directors of the United Way, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Muncie Symphony Orchestra, Muncie Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Ball Memorial Hospital, Indiana Legal Forum and the Academy for Community Leadership.
He was on the BSU Foundation board and a member of gift societies such as the Fellows Society, Quadrangle Society, and Beneficence Society.
John Pruis is survived by his wife, Angeline; brother, Rodger; three sons, David, Dan and Dirk; six grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
As of publication, funeral and memorial plans have not been set yet. Meeks Mortuary, located at 415 E. Washington St., is handling the arrangements.
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