Making It Possible #5 – Audrey Pruden
My mom, Audrey Pruden, was adventurous and always ready for a drive. Whether it was five minutes or five hours, she’d happily take the back roads whenever she could. She taught us to appreciate the beauty in that: the scenery, the quiet, and the lack of traffic.
Audrey was only ever a phone call away if someone needed a ride home. She was often the taxi for her nieces (aka “the girls”) and all of their friends after nights out, and her Crown Vics were perfect for fitting everyone in.
For many years, she joined the girls and their friends on weekend trips to the city for the CFR. She’d go along with any plan, driving them from one bar to the next with a smile.
As the oldest of four, raised on a dairy farm, Audrey learned early what it meant to work hard, both inside and outside the house. That upbringing shaped everything about how she raised her own two girls. She made sure they knew, without question, that girls can do anything boys can.
She had a strong will and a determined spirit, something she definitely passed on to her daughters. A farm girl at heart, she never shied away from a challenge. There were many times she’d load the family’s 5th wheel with clothes and food, hook it up herself, and take everyone camping.
Audrey loved golfing and camping in the summer, and bowling and snowmobiling in the winter. She loved dancing and music of every genre, from the old western songs she grew up with to classic rock and top pop hits.
“Lady driven” had a whole different meaning when it came to Audrey. Whether she was racing the car beside her off the line at a green light or flying down a snowmobile trail, she always had a little taste for speed.
She was also well known for her love of cooking and baking. Whether it was a small meal for her family or catering for 200 people, she was happiest when she was feeding others. Her baking was unmatched, especially her huge trays of Christmas goodies that she gifted to family and friends.
After her ALS diagnosis, Audrey wanted to leave something meaningful for all her nieces, nephews, and great‑nieces and nephews. She created a cookbook filled with her favourite recipes and more – a piece of her they could keep forever. Being an aunty was one of her most cherished roles. She never missed a birthday, graduation, or any chance to spend time with them.
As a strong and independent woman, her diagnosis was devastating. She had always been the one to take care of everyone else, and she knew that was going to change. Still, she faced it with grace and humour whenever she could. Even in her final days, communicating with a letter board, she made sure every visitor had a coffee or something to drink. Caring for her loved ones – always.
Audrey didn’t want anything to be made special about the time she had left. But her two determined daughters had other plans. Together, they decided they were going to live as much life as they could, while they could. Concerts. Broadway shows. A road trip to Waterton National Park and back through the mountains. Stopping everywhere they could to be tourists and make memories.
That was Audrey. Adventurous, loving, strong, and always moving forward.
