JANET PRYOR

Janet Pryor, teacher, scholar, art patron, hostess, and philanthropist dies at 93. To these titles could be added scores more and not adequately describe this leading Memphian. Mother, pilot, volunteer, campaigner, civic leader, traveler, she packed more living and learning into her life than most people, and all after being “struck down” by polio in 1950 and being left mostly paralyzed and wheelchair-bound for 60 years. Well, struck maybe so, but not down. After recovering for 9 months from the initial stages of polio, Mrs. Pryor went on to become one of the most visible and admired women in Memphis. Born Janes Briggs in Sharon, PA, Mrs. Pryor then lived briefly in Chicago and Ardmore, OK after her father’s death. When her mother married Memphian Morrison Tucker the family moved to Memphis where Mrs. Pryor spent the rest of her life. A promising pianist, she attended St. Mary’s School, where she graduated in 1934 with a degree from Bolling-Musser School of Music. She then worked her own way through Southwestern at Memphis (now Rhodes College), where she graduated with distinction. At Southwestern, she was a member of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority and Torch Society. After college, Janet worked as a social worker in Memphis, then as a teacher in New London, TX. During WWII, she was a radio operator and Air Traffic controller at Morris Field in Charlotte, NC, where she also became a pilot. After the war, Janet returned to Memphis. In 1943, she married Captain Downing Pryor of the Army Air Corp. Over the next few years the couple had three children and moved to a home on Tuckahoe where Mrs. Pryor lived for over 50 years. During that time Mr. Pryor became prominent as both a business and community leader in Memphis and Mrs. Pryor claimed a place for herself as a civic leader in her own right. Janet was the first person to be named to Southwestern College’s Hall of Fame. In 2001 St. Mary’s School named Mrs. Pryor alumna of the year. She served on the boards of Les Passee, Art Today, Memphis Symphony League, Brooks Art League, and St. Mary’s Episcopal School. She served as Capital Campaign Chairman for Memphis College of Art. Becoming an art patron was a natural evolution for Mrs. Pryor, who counted as her close friends most of the leaders of the local art community. As the Pryors accumulated a stunning local art collection, they developed among local artists friendships equally as rich and enduring. In her later years Mrs. Pryor donated a wonderful collection of paintings to St. Mary’s School, including works by local artists Burton Callicott, Veda Reed, Carroll Cloar, Dorothy Sturm and Ted Faiers. Mrs. Pryor’s tastes were eclectic; she loved modern as well as classical art, jazz, as well as classical music. She was equally comfortable hosting a gathering of local political leaders, artists, or friends. Her deep intellect and vivacity charmed one and all. Everyone she met felt himself to be her friend. Mrs. Pryor never stopped learning. She studied her monthly issues of Archeology Today and Organic Gardener. She knew more on more subjects than anyone did. She drove herself all over town in a car with hand controls; carpools, grocery, bridge club, anywhere. She was a great cook and one of the first organic gardeners and environmentalists in Memphis. She tried to never let her “handicap” limit her capacities as a mother or homemaker. Always curious about the world, the Pryors went on 12 driving trips to Mexico, several with three small children in tow, it would have been a tall order for a staff of nannies, certainly for someone in a wheelchair, she traveled twice on driving excursions around Europe with her husband and numerous shorter domestic trips. Somewhere in there she managed to take computer classes at University of Memphis, teach Modern Society classes at Lausanne School, and teach illiterate people to read in the Each One Teach One literacy program. Who could face a sentence of being paralyzed and wheelchair bound for sixty years? Janet Pryor not only endured a burden that would daunt any hero, but she did it with grace, courage, charm, humor and love. She was a hero, loved and admired by all that knew her, and they were many. She was struck-yes, but down?-neverJanet Pryor died peacefully of natural causes Sunday morning at St. Francis Hospital in the company of family. She is survived by her two daughters, Janet Ainslie Pryor Todd, Elizabeth Pryor MacEachran, son, Downing Martin Pryor, and sister, Margie Foster of Houston, TX, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be at 1 p.m., Friday, September 10 at Church of the Holy Communion with a reception to follow in Cheney Parish Hall. The family requests memorials be sent to the Memphis College of Art or the Memphis Humane Society. Canale Funeral Directors (901)452-6400