John R. Pruce 1945-2026

John was born Nov. 3, 1945, in Chicago, Illinois, the son of John Pruce and Eleanor Hawk Pruce.

He moved to the Mahoning Valley as a child and was a graduate of The Rayen School in Youngstown.

Following graduation, John proudly served his country in the U.S. Army with honor and dedication. His service was a source of great pride to him and his family, reflecting his deep love of country and strong sense of duty. The values he carried from his time served — commitment, sacrifice and respect — remained evident throughout his life.

After his military service, John worked for more than 43 years at Indalex Inc. in Girard until the plant’s closing in 2011. He began his career as a machinist and advanced through several positions and departments, retiring as a foreman.

John was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and brother. He cherished time spent with his family, especially his grandsons. You could always find him in the stands or on the sidelines, faithfully attending every sporting event, school activity and milestone. He was known affectionately to teams, parents and friends as “Papa John.” He took immense pride in his grandsons and their achievements, celebrating not just their successes but also the people they were becoming.

In his free time, John enjoyed working on and detailing his own cars and was always ready to join a bus trip to the casinos. He was also a loyal fan of the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians, Ohio State Buckeyes and Cleveland Cavaliers.

John is survived by his wife of 59 years, the former JoAnn M. Copploe, whom he married Sept. 10, 1966; his daughter, Kimberly (Tom) Ventresco of Boardman; his two grandsons, Jett Ventresco and Ty Ventresco; his sister, Kathy (Andy) Seman of Youngstown; his brother-in-law, Mike Copploe of Poland; and several nieces and nephews.

Besides his parents, John was preceded in death by his brother, Albert “Weegie” Pruce.

Family and friends may call 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, and 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, at Davidson-Becker Funeral Home, 11 Spring St., Struthers.

A prayer service will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. at Christ Our Savior Parish-Holy Trinity Church, 250 Bridge St., Struthers.

Burial will follow in St. John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery in Lowellville, with military honors by the U.S. Army and Ellsworth VFW Post # 9571.

The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the compassionate staff at Hospice of the Valley Hospice House for the exceptional care, comfort and dignity they provided. Their kindness and support during his final days meant more than words can express.

Friends and family are invited to visit www.beckerobits.com to share memories and condolences with the family.

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