In Memoriam: Waldek Pruzanski

From the time he arrived at the Wellesley Hospital in the early 1970s to set up the immunology lab, Waldek Pruzanski was a presence, larger than life. He was direct but collaborative. Successful but always modest. He immediately became part of the rheumatology-immunology group. The associations quickly went beyond the hospital and the lab and Waldek became a friend. He was a truly dignified gentleman loving good food, wine, travel, the arts and culture and shared those interests first with Vera and after her passing with Lily. We often travelled with them to medical conferences and have wonderful memories.

In his work he was driven, both in his laboratory research and his patient care first at the Wellesley Hospital and later at St Michael’s Hospital, working into his ninth decade. His patients loved him, respected him and stayed with him.

— Murray Urowitz

Waldek had a profound thirst for knowledge and was passionate in his quest for new paradigms. Early in his academic career, he published extensively in the area of amyloidosis. I joined Waldek at the Wellesley Hospital in the Division of Immunology, where we jointly pursued what was then cutting-edge work on secretory group II phospholipases A2 in rheumatoid arthritis and septic shock. In my first months with Waldek, I found him to be a demanding and driven task-master, often starting his days (and mine) at 6:00 AM.

As we grew to know one another, we became very dear friends, as did our wives, Vera and Louise. We had the profound good fortune to collaborate for many years in our research together, travel together and celebrate personal and professional life events together.

As I came to know him, it became apparent that although Waldek had a commanding and sometimes intimidating exterior, inwardly he was a deeply caring, loving and gentle man. He emerged from some personal tragedies in his latter years, with the profound good fortune of finding a second life partner in Lily and becoming grandfather to six grandchildren.

Even in his 80s, his inquisitive mindset served to catapult him into studies of PLA2 in atherosclerosis, with his good friend and colleague, Arnis Kuksis. His final publication, the last of almost 600 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters, was co-authored with Arnis, just three years before his passing. This was an enzymatic first, characterizing the hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine-isoprostanes (PtdCho-IP) by peripheral human group IIA, V and X secretory phospholipases A2 (sPLA2).

— Peter Vadas

As a teacher, Dr. Pruzanski was tough. The trainees prepared for his weekly 6:30 AM sessions. But he was admired for his knowledge and abilities as an educator. Even now his  previous residents have the  notes from his yellow pads.

I had the 7:00 AM time slot. Every week I was fortunate enough to be able to discuss research projects, divisional activities, and life. I would look forward to our weekly sessions.

Waldek was a mentor to many, but was like a father to Peter and myself. He had a rough exterior but was a modest, kind, and decent man — and so well accomplished in all aspects of life.

We stand on the shoulder of giants. We have lost a legend. He will be missed.

— Gordon Sussman

Our prayers and condolences go to his family.