Obituary of Thomas D. Prutsman

Thomas D. Prutsman, Ph.D. Clinical Neuropsychologist - Fellow of the National Academy of Neuropsychology Tom was born on March 1, 1931, in Columbia Cross Roads, PA, to L.D. (Jack) & Ruth Prutsman. He passed away on Friday, December 4, 2021, at Broad Acres Nursing Home in Wellsboro, PA. He graduated from Troy High School in 1949, where, as a varsity basketball player, he secured many high scoring games for the basketball team. He played some semi-pro basketball and continued league and pickup games in the neighborhood until his late forties. He graduated from Stetson University in Deland, Florida, and subsequently obtained a Master's degree in psychology from the University of Miami, and completed his academic studies at the Florida State University with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, where he also met and married Nancy Matylas of Avon Park, Florida, in Tallahassee, Florida. His extensive career in psychology included time as a professor at Florida Atlantic University, a school psychologist with Broward County Schools, clinical psychologist at Henderson Clinic, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a researcher in early behavior modification studies, and finished his teaching tenure as a professor of psychology at Mansfield University, in Mansfield, Pennsylvania, for more than 20 years. He continued to work as a consultant, doing psychological assessments and testing, often for law enforcement agencies, into his eighties. Tom was passionate about aviation and was always building an aircraft in the garage, working on The Breezy - an experimental aircraft hangared at the Elmira Corning Regional Airport, cooking pancakes at local fly-in's, or traveling across country to Oshkosh, Wisconsin to meet legends in general aviation at the annual EAA Fly-In. In later years he shifted his passion to supporting efforts to restore the Troy Sale Barn, attending Native American pow wows, and making original jewelry and custom knives. He was elected Pennsylvania State Constable of the Borough of Troy. And of great importance to him was spending time drinking coffee and trading stories with his friends at the Troy's Terrace Lanes Bowling Center and the Troy Lunch. Tom was especially proud of all of his grandchildren, wanting to hear of their latest adventures. He was predeceased by his parents, L.D. (Jack) & Ruth Prutsman, his brother Jack D. Prutsman, and his first wife of 53 years Nancy Matylas Prutsman. He is survived by his second wife, Sherine Sebastian Prutsman, his son Eric D. Prutsman (Kimberly), daughter Rebecca C. Wilber (Mark), grandchildren: Andrew, Mattea, Isaac, Maryah, Mishala, Sanna, Michael, Jordan, and Steven ; great grandchildren: Abigail, Kataleya, Arthur, Samuel, and sister, Sally Shaw. A graveside service for family will be scheduled at a later date. Buckheit Funeral Chapel and Crematory, Inc., 637 S. Main St., Mansfield, PA is assisting the family. Memorial donations can be made to the Thomas D. Prutsman Scholarship Fund at the Mansfield Foundation and mailed to 71 South Main Street, Mansfield, PA, 16933, or can also be made securely at give.mansfieldfoundation.org.