John Richard Pruce

Youngstown - John R. ("Papa John") Pruce , 80, passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at Hospice of the Valley Hospice House, surrounded by his loving family.

John was born on November 3, 1945, in Chicago, Illinois, the son of John Pruce and Eleanor (Hawk) Pruce. He moved to the Mahoning Valley as a child and was a graduate of The Rayen School in Youngstown. Following graduation, John proudly served his country in the U.S. Army with honor and dedication. His service was a source of great pride to him and his family, reflecting his deep love of country and strong sense of duty. The values he carried from his time served-commitment, sacrifice and respect-remained evident throughout his life.

After his military service, John worked for more than 43 years at Indalex Inc. in Girard, Ohio, until the plant's closing in 2011. He began his career as a machinist and advanced through several positions and departments, retiring as a foreman.

John was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and brother. He cherished time spent with his family, especially his grandsons. You could always find him in the stands or on the sidelines, faithfully attending every sporting event, school activity, and milestone. He was known affectionately to teams, parents and friends as "Papa John." He took immense pride in his grandsons and their achievements, celebrating not just their successes, but the people they were becoming. In his free time, John enjoyed working on and detailing his own cars and was always ready to join a bus trip to the casinos. He was also a loyal fan of the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians, Ohio State Buckeyes and Cleveland Cavaliers.

John is survived by his wife of 59 years, the former JoAnn M. Copploe, whom he married on September 10, 1966; his daughter, Kimberly (Tom) Ventresco of Boardman, Ohio; his two grandsons, Jett Ventresco and Ty Ventresco; his sister, Kathy (Andy) Seman of Youngstown, Ohio; his brother-in-law, Mike Copploe of Poland, Ohio; and several nieces and nephews.

Besides his parents, John was preceded in death by his brother, Albert "Weegie" Pruce.

Family and friends may call on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. and on Thursday, February 12, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Davidson-Becker Funeral Home, 11 Spring Street, Struthers.

A prayer service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday at the funeral home, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. at Christ Our Savior Parish at Holy Trinity Church, 250 Bridge Street, Struthers. Burial will follow at St. John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery in Lowellville with Military Honors by the U.S. Army and the Ellsworth V.F.W. Post # 9571.

The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the compassionate staff at Hospice of the Valley Hospice House for their exceptional care, comfort, and dignity they provided. Their kindness and support during his final days meant more than words can express.

Friends and family are invited to visit www.beckerobits.com to share memories and condolences with the family.