Linfielder and ardent Linfield Wildcats supporter John Prutsman, Linfield Class of 1957, died in Portland on March 21, 2025.
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John Charles Prutsman obituary
April 1, 1935-March 21, 2025
Obituary
published on Legacy.com by Threadgill's Memorial Services, LLC on Mar. 24,
2025.
John Charles Prutsman,
age 89, of Portland, a loving husband, father, and grandfather, passed away on
March 21, 2025.
Born on April 1, 1935, at Emanuel Hospital in Portland, Oregon, John was the son of "Cotton" and Nola Prutsman. He had a deep love for his hometown, residing in the same home he and his wife, Evelyn, shared for over 62 years-just a mile from where he was raised.
Growing up in West Portland, John attended Lincoln High School, graduating with the Class of 1954. He went on to earn his bachelor's degree from Linfield College in 1957.
A proud member of Linfield College's 1956 football team, John helped lay the foundation for what would become the longest winning streak in college football history, spanning 68 seasons.
John was a respected leader in both his professional and civic life. With a distinguished career in industrial chemical sales, he built lasting friendships with colleagues and clients alike. His generosity and willingness to give his time to others were evident in his many passions and volunteer efforts.
He sang in a barbershop quartet, worked as a volunteer blacksmith at Fort Vancouver, served as a Boy Scout troop leader, was an active member of the Portland Rainmakers, climbed with The Mazamas, was an honored Toastmaster, and was always ready to lend a hand with any project.
John is survived by his beloved wife, Evelyn; daughter, Linda Redmond, and her husband, Michael Redmond; son, Jim Prutsman, and his wife, Staci Prutsman, as well as six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John, please visit our floral store.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/john-prutsman-obituary?id=57966574
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WILDCATVILLE POSTSCRIPTS:
= Few in Oregon athletics have
earned more respect, and as many honors, as Ad Rutschman. No wonder that many
of his Linfield loyalists took it personally when they perceived that his
influence was being stripped by a new administration with a lot to learn about Linfield.
Angry alumni reacted by forming a committee called POLE (Protect Our Linfield
Experience) that called the administration and trustees to account.” (Source:
George Pasero, Oregonian sports column in newspaper’s Sept. 29, 1996, edition.)
The POLE situation took place during the Linfield presidential administration (1992-2005)
of Vivian Bull. John Prutsman was a POLE organizer.
During her Linfield presidential
tenure, Ad Rutschman retired as the college’s athletic director in 1996 leaving
that job after his 25 years of service. Some contend she precipitated his
retirement and naming him athletic director emeritus was to placate those,
including alumni, who disagreed with her alleged action to make him retire.
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VIDEO: John Prutsman welcomes you
to Wildcatville on Nov. 9, 2013.
Source: https://wildcatville.blogspot.com/2013/12/this-is-wildcatville.html
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John Prutsman (Linfield Class of 1957)
is proud he played on the same Linfield football team (1954) as all-stars Ad
Rutschman, Howard Morris and Vic Fox. Aug. 2, 2022
Source: https://wildcatville.blogspot.com/2022/08/john-prutsman-linfield-class-of-1957-is.html
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SEE PHOTO
Linfielders John Prutsman (Linfield College Class of
1957) and Nancy Steinbach Haack (Class of 1968). 8/23/2022 by
Wildcatville
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SEE PHOTO
Go
to Linfield Homecoming football games and you're likely to see Linfielder John
Prutsman, Class of 1957, wearing a cardinal red (Linfield school colors are
cardinal & purple) athletic jacket heralding being a player on Linfield's
Streak-starting 1956 Northwest Conference football championship team. From
Portland and a grad of that city's Lincoln High School, 6-foot-2, 175-pounds,
John lettered for Linfield football playing for Coach Paul Durham.
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The first time Linfield
won the NWC championship was in 1935 (the year I was born) and Paul Durham was
on the team. That was the start of a long dry season. In 1956 Linfield won the
NWC championship for only the second time and Paul Durham was the coach. The
Red Jackets were a gift to all the lettermen on the team. I have no idea who
the benefactor was. The jacket was made by Dehen in Portland who also made all
the letterman sweaters and had our first name inside just under the collar. The
school always paid for your first letterman sweater which was a pullover. If you wanted a cardigan you paid
for that yourself. Pruts (Source: Email Wed, Oct 25, 2023 at 12:49 PM
from John Prutsman)
