LAURENCE PRUSAK  (01/27/44- 09/23/23)

Laurence "Larry" Prusak, 79, of Lexington, MA, died peacefully in his home on September 23, 2023, after a lengthy bout with cancer.  He was a devoted father, and the loving husband of Brenda (Russell) Prusak, with whom he shared 43 years of marriage.

Larry was born on January 27, 1944 to Russian Jewish immigrants, Rose Bernstein Prusak and Hyman Prusak. He was born and raised in Brooklyn, and, throughout all of his travels, remained a Brooklyn boy at heart.  Larry attended P.S. 167 and Wingate High School in Brooklyn, NY. He holds a B.A. in history from Long Island University, an M.S. in information science from Simmons College, and an M.A. in economic and social history from New York University.  Larry later received 2 honorary Ph.D.'s from Simmons College and Long Island University.

With his brilliant mind, wit, and charisma, Larry was a pioneer in the field of knowledge management. He was a highly renowned "knowledge guru" in the business world for over 30 years, and was able to rise to the top of his field.  Larry was influential on a local, national and international scale.  Most recently a lecturer and adjunct professor at Columbia University, Larry helped develop many knowledge management programs at the collegiate level. He taught and lectured at over 30 colleges and universities worldwide, including the Harvard Business School, M.I.T., New York University, the Wharton School, Babson College, Copenhagen Business School, Queen's University (Belfast), and many more. Larry has written 12 books and numerous articles, and has also helped consult on projects with many U.S. and overseas government agencies, as well as NGO's.  His final contribution to his field was co-authoring the book, "The Smart Mission."

Larry lived a rich and fulfilling life, and had a lifelong love of learning, teaching, and sharing stories. He touched the lives of so many through his stories, which he shared with the world through humor and finding common ground and connection.  While he has left this physical world, his legacy lives on through his stories.

Larry is survived by his wife, Brenda Prusak of Lexington, MA; son, Ben Prusak of Brookline, MA; daughter, Kim Olenic and her husband Doug Olenic of Tahoe City, CA; and his grandchildren, Dylan and Tyler Olenic of Tahoe City, CA.

A celebration of life will be held on October 28th, 2023 at 2:00pm at First Parish in Lexington, MA.  In lieu of flowers, please consider donating "in honor or memory of Larry Prusak" to the Perkins School Library, which offers talking books and braille materials to readers worldwide. https://www.perkins.org/ways-to-support-perkins/