Naugatuck, CT Bernice (Szczesiul) Pruchnicki, 100, the widow of Henry Pruchnicki, died peacefully on Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at Glendale Center surrounded by her loving family.

Bernice was born in Akron, Ohio on July 1, 1916 a daughter of the late Francis and Pauline (Blecharczyk) Szczesiul and had lived in Waterbury most of her life, and was a parishioner of St. Hedwig’s Church in Naugatuck. She was a retired employee of the Bristol Company and she also worked at the U.S. Rubber Company.

Bernice is survived by her daughter, Patricia Kowcheris; her sons, John Pruchnicki and his wife Elaine and Henry Pruchnicki and his wife Claudette; her brother, Frank Szczesiul; her sisters, Cecelia Humphries and Rita Starziski and her husband Charles; her daughter in law, Marilyn Pruchnicki; her 9 grandchildren, her 9 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband and her parents, Bernice was predeceased by her son Richard Pruchnicki, her brothers, Joseph, Rudolph and Stanley Szczesiul; her brother in law, Raymond Humphries and her sister in law, Barbara Szczesiul.

The family wishes to thank the Glendale staff and VITAS Healthcare of Middlebury, CT for their loving support.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, April 17, 2017 at 10:00am at St. Hedwig’s Church, 32 Golden Hill Street, Naugatuck. Everyone attending is kindly asked to go directly to Church. There are no calling hours and arrangements have been entrusted to the Buckmiller Thurston Mengacci Funeral Home, 82 Fairview Avenue, Naugatuck. In lieu of flowers and to honor Bernice’s memory, contributions may be made to St. Francis-St. Hedwig’s School, 294 Church Street, Naugatuck, CT 06770 or to Sacred Heart High School, 142 South Elm Street, Waterbury, CT 06706.

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