Claudette Christiana Schwaninger was born June 3rd, 1950 in Karlsruhe, Germany. Her mother remarried in 1959 to SFC William Reed who proceeded to adopt Claudette and her sisters. The family immigrated to the United States in 1960 and became citizens in 1967.
Over the course of her father's military career, Claudette and her family called many places home: Fort Carson, CO, Eastland, TX, Fort Lewis, WA, Fort Knox, KY, and Vine Grove, KY. Claudette graduated from Fort Knox High School in 1970.
She met her future husband, SFC Kenneth Prusinski while he was stationed at Fort Knox, KY. They married in 1974 at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, TX. Through his service, they travelled to New York, Kitzingen, Bavaria, Germany, and Letterkenny, PA. When he retired, they settled in Abilene so that Claudette could be close to her family.
While Claudette was never able to have children of her own, she dedicated the last 40 years of her life to serving special needs children. She had a tremendous capacity for love, thoughtfulness and generosity. She was deeply devoted to her family, doted on her many nieces and nephews, and had an amazing sense of humor. Claudette was a huge Elvis and Godzilla fan, was down to Earth, and loved to be teased.
Claudette was predeceased by her father, William Reed, her mother Gisela Reed, her husband Kenneth Prusinski, and a very special person, Russell Hancock. She is survived by her two sisters Patricia Burnette of Abilene, TX and Helen Clay and her husband George of O'Fallon IL; her niece Amy Vickrey and husband Brian of Argyle, TX, her nephew Jack Burnette and his wife Sara of Springtown, TX; her niece Michelle Mitchell and her husband Darren of Andover, MN, her niece Kimberly Graham of O'Fallon, IL, her nephew Maurice Clay and wife Saida of Bowling Green, KY her niece Crystal Clay of Winchester, KY and 14 great nieces and nephews.
We request all of Claudette’s loved ones to join us in celebrating her beautiful life at the Elliott Hamil Chapel on December 3rd at 11 AM.
