Priscilla Bruske

The Chicago arts scene lost a dedicated benefactor with the passing of Priscilla Bruske on February 6th. Priscilla, and husband Ed (Bud) were season ticket holders at the Lyric Opera, Court Theater, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Blackstone theater. They made weekly treks into the city to attend events right up into their 90’s. They also shared their love of music, theater and the arts with their children and grandchildren, sharing their tickets and occasionally inviting family members to join in the experience.

Priscilla was born Priscilla Jean Arentz in Chicago on December 12, 1929. She came from modest beginnings, but developed an interest in the arts at a very early age. By the time she attended North Park academy for her high school years she was an accomplished fashion artist with a desire to become a fashion illustrator. During her high school years she had a regular column in the high school newspaper in which she created paper dolls and clothes that could be cut out and assembled. Family members still have some of her original drawings.

During her high school years she met the man she would later marry, Edward Henry Bruske III. He played football, and she was on the cheer-leading squad. They were a very handsome couple indeed, and attended high school during the years of big bands, lots of jazz, shortened hemlines and lots of love songs written for musicals of the era. Mom recalled to her kids, evenings spent dancing on the end of Navy Pier in Chicago, where all the kids would go to listen to the big bands and have a night of it.

Upon graduation from high school, Bud attended Northwestern University studying business, and while Priscilla made a case for attending college to study fashion illustration, her father thought he knew better, and sent her instead to secretarial school. He told her illustration was a dying profession and that she could always use secretarial skills. Priscilla excelled at everything she put her mind to, so she left secretarial school skilled in bookkeeping, typing, shorthand and writing, all of which she used throughout her life.

Bud graduated from Northwestern with a Business degree, but the US was involved in the Korean Conflict and he felt he could be of use in one of the branches of the military. Because of hearing loss in one ear, he was not able to go overseas, so he joined the Army Reserves and was stationed in Savannah, Georgia as a clerk. Because he was leaving town, Priscilla and Bud decided to get married, and arranged a beautiful ceremony in the space of six weeks. Meghan Sellin, a hospice worker at Smith Crossing shared this story told to her by Priscilla: “Priscilla mentioned that her boyfriend at the time, was in the military- and was due to be stationed overseas in a few weeks time. He proposed to Priscilla at that time, and both wanted to be married prior to his military departure. Priscilla, ever motivated, resourceful, and fashion-forward- began the hasty preparations for her wedding. Priscilla told me that she had particularly fancied a wedding dress, displayed on the cover of a popular fashion catalog. "In those days," Priscilla went on to tell me, "You'd be lucky to get the chance, to even SEE catalog cover wedding dresses in-person, LET ALONE have the opportunity to own one." Luck was ever in Priscilla's favor- as she had been successful in acquiring the very same wedding dress she admired so fondly, and in the short time she needed to have it! Priscilla went on to describe her wedding celebration to me that day, with such pride and joy. She told me, "everything simply fell into place- I couldn't have asked for a better wedding." After their wedding Bud and Priscilla moved onto the military base in Savannah, Georgia.

According to Priscilla, while stationed in Savannah, Bud worked as an office clerk, but was also responsible for recruiting new reservists. She told me a story about hosting an open house for several prospective recruits and having to make three different kinds of soup to feed them all. Honing her hostess skills during their time in the military served them both well as they made several moves after Bud’s stint in the Army and hosted many parties in the years to follow.

Upon their return to Chicago, Bud was hired by the Fuller Brush Company and sent to Tacoma, Washington to set up shop and begin a career as a door-to-door salesman. While in Tacoma, Priscilla gave birth to the first two of their five children. Priscilla was not particularly happy being in Tacoma. It was far from all her family and friends, the weather was cloudy and gray, and she spent her time alone in their rented apartment with two babies, two years apart. Some time around 1955, Bud was transferred to Des Moines, Iowa, where they rented a small house, and welcomed their third child. In 1957 they were transferred again, this time, back to Chicago and the couple, along with their three children moved in with Bud’s mother on Keeler Avenue while they awaited the building of their first house. It would be a split level home with four bedrooms, three baths, a laundry room, family room, and big backyard on a winding street in the first post-war “planned” community in the country, Park Forest, Illinois.

They lived on Chestnut Street, which quickly filled with young professional couples having babies and living the American Dream. It was the 1960’s, and families were mostly made up of a working husband and a mom-to-many, who stayed home to take care of home and hearth. Most families had one car, so the grounded moms would get together daily, along with the kids who weren’t in school, to share a cup of coffee and a good chat. The school was just down the street so kids came home each day for a hot lunch and to watch Bozo the Clown. Priscilla and Bud added two more babies to their brood, and by 1961 they were parents to five, with one boy and four girls.

While the 60’s were busy and overwhelming, Priscilla and Bud had an active social life with many friends on their block. He was a member of a local Toastmaster’s group, and together they played bridge regularly with a group which took turns hosting their bridge parties. Priscilla’s kids remember fondly waking up on Sunday mornings after a bridge party and finishing off all the leftover drinks and snacks that littered the several card tables.

Among her other talents, Priscilla had a beautiful singing voice, and her children remember fondly her singing harmony to all her favorite artists, most notably Jack Jones, Johnny Mathis, Patsy Cline and Andy Williams. She often times had music playing in the house and her daughters picked up her gift of song and harmony which stayed with them through their lives. She was also a talented knitter and seamstress, knitting sweaters for her daughters and making clothes for the family. She taught her daughters to sew and provided scraps of material for them to make clothes for their Barbie dolls. Eventually they went on to make clothes for themselves with Priscilla there to provide a guiding hand.

The 60’s were also a profitable time for Priscilla’s family, as Bud rose up the ladder at Fuller Brush, becoming their regional sales manager. They felt they were poised for a move to a larger house, and so she and Bud began touring local neighborhoods looking for a new home, and finally settled on building their own on a lot in Prestwick Country Club a golfing community outside of Frankfort, Illinois. Bud was the contractor, and sub-contracted many of the jobs on their new bespoke home. Her kids remember Priscilla throwing herself into helping to build their 4,000 square foot dream home, shoveling pea gravel, painting and

staining siding and trim and applying the final coats of paint to all the walls. She also used her keen eye for color, texture and pattern to have all custom draperies and furniture created. She chose all the interior finishes, and the house was, indeed, amazing. It was an Herculean project, and even though she was still mom to five kids at home, she did all she could to make sure the project stayed on course. By 1969 they were ready to make the big move from Park Forest to Prestwick.

The move to Prestwick turned out to be a mixed bag, as Priscilla missed all her friends in Park Forest, and also missed their busy social life there. In the early 70’s bud began his own brush business and after a grueling start and a few lean years, they became wildly successful. Priscilla put her secretarial skills to good use, working the front desk in the office, doing the bookkeeping, invoicing, receivables and payables. They turned a fledgling brush business into an $8 million company, hiring several outside salesmen, and purchasing five private planes to be used by their regional sales managers to travel and train new salesmen across the country. Their lives changed dramatically, as they began to realize a level of success that afforded them the ability to travel and enjoy the finer things in life.

As the business flourished and Priscilla was able to take time off, she began attending art history courses at Joliet Junior College where she graduated with her AA degree. She continued with her studies at the University of Illinois in downtown Chicago, and graduated there with her BA in Art History. We all recall her fretting the night before every exam, and it never failed that she would score the highest grade in the class. She was in her 50s and in college...which earned her the honor of a story written by her son, Ed, which was published in the Outlook section of the Washington Post. She was a woman before her time. Bucking the image of the stay-at-home mom, and securing the degree she had always wanted to have. She went on to complete her coursework for her Master’s degree and while finishing her thesis on Vincent Van Gogh, her thesis adviser passed away, and she was never able defend her thesis to graduate with her MA.

Having built their beautiful custom home for their big family, the next ten years they lived there, each child in turn moved out to attend college. They all became successful and upstanding members of society, each, contributing to the greater good in their own way. By 1980 they found themselves alone in a huge house and decided to downsize into a condominium. At the same time, Bud and Priscilla were introduced to the art and science of tasting and choosing wines from around the world. They found they really enjoyed discovering new wines and wineries and traveled to California to explore the vineyards there. Bud began a campaign to collect promising wines from good vineyards and excellent vintages and when they moved from their big home to a 2,000 square foot condominium down the street, he built a wine cellar in the basement garage where he accumulated at least a couple of hundred bottles of his favorite vino.

Son-in-law, Tom Washington recalls those times vividly and provided this observation: “Priscilla was always happiest when she was around her children and grandchildren, especially as the years went on. She lit up with the attention. I always enjoyed pouring her another glass of Chardonnay. I think it was always Chardonnay. And she stayed right there at the table, in the mix, always a good listener, always a sense of humor on hand. I love that about Priscilla. Ready for a get together, ready for a good dinner, always a perfect guest, along with your father. We saw both Ed and Priscilla in Basel, Hamburg, the French Alsace, still going about the same fun and adventure with wine and food. I suppose the motif here is that my connection with her, as my mother-in-law was the pure joy, the direct witnessing of

your mother having fun at the table, and I have always interpreted the table as a metaphor for appreciating others, family, and life's gifts in general. She had a front seat to all of that and was a profoundly fortunate and blessed wife and mother.”

Two of Priscilla and Bud’s daughters, Linda and Susan, studied voice in college and went on to further study performance and Opera. Watching their daughters perform on stage at many venues lit a fire in the two that developed into a life-time love of the art. Their deep love of Opera inspired them to become members of the local chapter of the Lyric Opera Guild, Priscilla being elected as Treasurer. They also bought season tickets for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Court, and Blackstone Theaters. Priscilla was a member of the Art Institute of Chicago and later joined the Board of the Center for Performing Arts at Governor’s State University where she also served as Treasurer.

During the 80’s and 90’s Priscilla and Bud continued to cultivate their interest in the arts, and especially in travel, becoming well-seasoned travelers and introducing their grandchildren to the furthest parts of the globe with long, glorious trips. They especially loved family trips to Mexico where they finally purchased a penthouse condo in Puerto Vallarta and welcomed family and friends to visit them there. Another favorite family vacation spot was Pentwater, Michigan where they hosted many summer family vacations and eventually purchased a condo there which sat right downtown on the shore of Lake Pentwater with lake access, and a balcony that offered 180 degree views of the lake, the canal to Lake Michigan, and spectacular Michigan sunsets. The best evenings in Pentwater were spent on the balcony with a glass of wine, watching the boats coming back into town after their day spent on the lake, with the sun setting in the distance. It was heaven on earth.

In the early 2000s Bud suffered a heart attack while in Puerto Vallarta necessitating a medical air lift back to the US. He absolutely loved the trip on the sleek, Gulfstream, twin engine air ambulance that flew him and Priscilla back to Chicago's’ Midway Airport, and cried at the thought of it’s incredible swiftness and the efficiency and compassion of its crew. He received life-saving cardiac surgery at the University of Chicago Medical Center and made a full recovery. The vein harvesting procedure left him with edema in his legs, and he always suffered a bit with edema after that. Years later he would be diagnosed with congestive heart failure, the first time in his long life, he ever had any serious medical issue.

In 2018 Priscilla, still working at the office each day, had a fall that landed her in the hospital for a short time, and resulted in her loss of confidence for walking and driving. That spelled the end of her working days, and she never returned to the office. In 2019 she celebrated her 90th birthday, and in the year since her fall, her daughter Diane and she had read the entire series of 15 books written by Louise Penny, based on her fictional character, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surete’ du Quebec. Having become completely immersed in the characters and settings of the novels, the two decided to take a trip to the Eastern Townships of southeastern Quebec to explore the region and tour the real sites that inspired the author’s stories. Accompanied by son-in-law Steve, the three explored the region and stayed in a charming VRBO in the very town in which Ms. Penny lived. They hoped each day to run into the incomparable Louise Penny, but never did catch a glimpse of her.

As the years began to accumulate, so did the grandchildren. They were grandparents to eight and great-grandparents to three. All of their great grandchildren were born during the Pandemic, and visits were few and far between. By 2019, Bud had also turned 90 years old, and while one might have thought that such a long life would have left room for a long

retirement, Bud insisted on never leaving the office, and so even until he passed away in April of 2020, he was ever present at his desk.

Their last trip to Puerto Vallarta was during February of 2020. They returned to their condo in Frankfort on March 11th, just days before countries began closing their doors to international travel, and the world as we knew it was changed forever. During the month after returning to their home base, Bud was suffering the affects of congestive heart failure. He had ignored the symptoms for some time, and knew he would never again submit to any kind of medical treatment. The Pandemic only served to cement his resolve, and so, on April 11th he succumbed to kidney failure and passed away at home. It should be noted that he was at his desk and on his computer until 24 hours before he passed away.

Days after Bud’s passing, Priscilla went to live with her daughter Susan, where she stayed until the family had secured an apartment for her in the Independent Living section of Smith Crossing, a residential facility in Orland Park, IL. Priscilla moved in on November 13th of 2020, and the very next day, the facility shuttered its doors to the public. Family members delivered food and sundries to her patio door, and checked in with her constantly. It was the first time in her life she had ever lived alone. However, residents were allowed to leave their rooms and the facility, so family members made frequent trips to collect her at the front door for an outing. No doubt, these visits and outings helped her survive that first year on her own, and during lockdown.

Eventually Priscilla began to experience some small strokes and a-fib which resulted in her being moved to the Skilled Nursing ward of Smith Crossing and placed into hospice care. She spent her last year there, enjoying constant healthy eating, activities, health monitoring and visits from family members. Her last year was spent in a wheelchair, being taken on walks around the property, throughout the facility and lunches enjoyed at the Bistro. Elara Care hospice arranged transportation and admission to the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit in August for Priscilla and her daughter Diane, truly an experience of a lifetime. She kept up with current events, watched her beloved golf on television, enjoyed movies and real life mystery and crime shows. Staff members enjoyed their conversations with her. She was witty, with a wry sense of humor they all appreciated, and she was known for her elegant style and fashion sense. She was always well turned out, and made an effort to look good. They were amazed at her knowledge of Art and Art History and loved to engage her over one of her many art books. The staff were skilled at getting her to tell stories, many of which her own children had never heard.

On December 12, 2022, Priscilla turned 93. Family members arranged a party for her or visited her for her birthday and after that time she began to decline, succumbing to vascular dementia. She spent the last six weeks under close supervision of the nursing staff and Hospice staff to alleviate any of her symptoms, passing away peacefully on February 6, 2023 with her favorite music playing in the background.

Priscilla was known for being classy, straightforward, and knowledgeable, with a quick wit and a wry sense of humor. She was a wonderful companion and engaging conversationalist. She leaves behind a large family who will miss her presence in their lives. At one of the last meals I had with Priscilla, I asked if she wanted a brownie for dessert. She looked me in the eye, and said, “When have you ever known me to turn down a brownie?” And so, we had a brownie. That was Priscilla...witty and wry, and never turning down an opportunity for a good time. ~ Lovingly submitted by her daughter, Diane.

Additional remembrances from family members:

Priscilla’s only sister-in-law, Barb, remembered: I was always so proud of her for being able to get her college degree - and beyond - while keeping up with being a wife, mother, and business partner. As a young girl, she was so disappointed when her Arentz family decided that only boys needed an education and gave one to her brother, which was duly wasted. As an adult, she did it on her own and I think those were among her happiest years. I’m sorry she never finished her second degree. If she had, she may have found her own life in the world of art she loved so much. She was fun to be with, and she and I shared a lot of laughs together and enjoyed one another’s company.

Priscilla’s daughter Susan: Mom liked to party. She loved celebrating and wanted everyone in the family to be there. She loved all the holidays but looked forward to Christmas the most. She decorated the whole house and always made sure, even when we were little that it was abundant and special...taking us all downtown to see the Marshall Fields decorations and having lunch with our grandmother at the famous Walnut Room.

She and my father went downtown Chicago often to the theater, opera and symphony. They enjoyed taking their grand-kids with them when they could. She loved traveling. They traveled half the world and made it a point to take each grandchild, when they reached a certain age, on an international trip with them.

She loved having everyone up to their Condo in Pentwater every year and Mexico, too. More opportunities to party and celebrate, laugh, and joke around with us. It was important to her that she kept her family intact. She liked a good margarita or a glass of Sauvignon blanc (Oyster bay, or Kim Crawford). It was always 5:00 somewhere!

Personally, I got a lot of alone time with Mom. We worked together at the family business for many years. Work was not her favorite thing.

We did book club together. She read fast. Loved mysteries and detective stories. She was a lively participant in the discussions and enjoyed most all the books we read for the club, too. Everyone loved her in book club and missed her if she wasn't there. She loved Art, music and all beautiful and fine things. She really appreciated them and wanted to be surrounded by them.

Son-in-law Steve: Diane and I got to travel to Florida with Priscilla for a cousin’s wedding and to the Eastern Townships of Quebec in Canada. It was so enjoyable and a much different experience having her alone. I really enjoyed her sense of humor and her enthusiasm for travel and exploring.

Grandson Phillip: I loved Grandma taking her grandchildren on world trips. She was very protective while we were away and wanted us to experience a new part of the world we might otherwise never know.

She was so smart and I remembered growing up thinking she knew everything. Grammar and language were not my strengths but she seemed to recall anything with ease.

On vacations with her, the margaritas were as strong as the laughter. She was funny and witty much more than I knew as a child. One of the things that impressed me most was that she found a way to live with rather than run from Grandpa for decades! She truly had deep resolve and a strong character.

Grandson Phillip’s wife Tabitha: As the first to marry one of her grandchildren, Gramma was always welcoming towards me. I soon learned to listen closely for her quips with her wry sense of humor always perfectly timed. We traveled with Gramma and Grandpa for many years and will fondly remember 11am margarita time and the many laughs on the balconies of their homes in Puerto Vallarta and Pentwater while watching spectacular sunsets.

Grandson Brian: Everyone came to love and expect to have Grandma’s famous fudgy chocolate ice cream dessert at every event. And she always made enough to go around. It was delicious!

Claire: Grandma loved to share her love of art, traveling, pampering and fashion/shopping with me and I think everyone. I have such beautiful memories of her taking me out for my birthday in Mexico to get our hair and nails done. And shopping days in Pentwater and my first time at the theater and going to museums and yearly trips for high tea. Being the first granddaughter (and the most girly) was definitely a bonding point for us.

I also just loved her blunt personality. She was never one to sugar coat, always opting to let you know what was what. I feel like I have inherited this a little from both sides of my family and definitely have an "if you don't wanna hear it don't ask" point of view.

Granddaughter Julia: Gramma used to drive with us from Kirkland to Vancouver and she would bring her Patsy Cline Gold album and used to sing along all the way there with us. We especially loved singing along to Tra-la-la Triangle. I can’t listen to Patsy without thinking of her.



A military ceremony has been scheduled for Friday, June 23 at 11:00 AM at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, IL for both Ed and Priscilla.