Kenneth B. Pryor

Ken passed away the evening of March 26, 2022, in his home in North Palm Beach, after living a wonderful life of over 101 years

Ken was preceded in death by his father Robert Pryor and mother Lula (Harris) Pryor as well as sisters Betty Reish, Bonnie Pore, Beulah Clair and brother Robert Pryor.  He is survived by sisters Berniece Jewel and Belva Harfman and brother Bernard Pryor, as well as countless nieces, nephews and their children and grandchildren.

Born and raised in Akron, OH, Ken attended the Akron Academy of Art.  That schooling was interrupted by his service in the US Army during WWII.  Ken went through nurse training and became an Army Nurse in 1943.  His nurse training included service at facilities such as Walter Reed and Providence Hospital in Washington DC.  In 1944, while serving at Camp McCain, MS, the hospital was transported to England and set-up just in time to accept casualties from D-Day.  Ken was the head nurse in charge of surgery.

After the conclusion of WWII, Ken was discharged and chose to return to art school.  After completion, he moved to Chicago to begin a career as a Commercial Artist in Retail Advertising.  After a short stint with a firm, Ken decided to open his own Studio where he continued his practice for nearly 40years. 

Ken was a very generous man, to both his friends and family as well as causes.  He lived many years in the Historic Pullman Area of Chicago and donated his time and talents to the Pullman Foundation.  His artwork of the Architecture of Pullman including the Hotel Florence and the Greenstone (Methodist) Church among others were sold and used repeatedly for fundraisers, greeting cards and even placemats at the Hotel Restaurant.

Ken had purchased Real Estate in North Palm Beach in the late 1960’s and moved there fulltime in 1986 after retirement, where he lived until his death.

His passions beyond his career were Newspapers, Magazines, Crossword Puzzles and Dining.  But it was dining that really excited him.  He loved new restaurants and his “old standbys”.  Those who dined with Ken knew that dining was so much more than going out to eat.  He worked in a friend’s steakhouse restaurant in Blue Island on weekends for years and learned what made a great restaurant great.  Cocktails and time between courses, but most of all the conversations made dining with Ken an experience and an event, not just dinner.

No service is planned locally as Ken will be laid to rest at Shauck Cemetery in Ohio near his parents and siblings at a later date.  Those wishing to do so may make a donation to Trustbridge Hospice of Palm Beach County at the following link ( Trustbridge Hospice Care ).

Arrangements have been entrusted to Northwood Funeral Home of West Palm Beach.