ESTERO, FL - Fred Prusa passed away Jan. 13 in Estero, Fla. He was 68. Prusa started his fleet career at Leaseway Fleet Management Corp. in Cleveland. In 1985, Leaseway Fleet Management Corp. was sold to Dart & Kraft Financial Corp. Upon the company’s sale to Dart & Kraft, Prusa joined LMV Leasing as regional manager of the Great Lakes Region during the 1980s and 1990s.

Following the sale of LMV Leasing to GE Capital Fleet Services in 1991, Prusa joined ADESA, where he served as executive director of sales, until his retirement in 2003.

“He was a great guy, a Teddy Bear happy-go-lucky type of personality. He was always smiling and made friends quickly,” said Mark Conroy, vice president, sales and marketing for Union Leasing, who worked with Prusa at LMV Leasing. “He sold in the fleet management industry for many years out of Cleveland and was well respected by everyone.”

Prusa was born October 21, 1942 in Cleveland, Ohio. He was a veteran of the United States Navy.

Following his retirement from the fleet industry, Prusa moved to Estero, Fla. Prusa was an avid golfer and was employed at Raptor Bay Golf Club in Bonita Springs, Fla., as a starter until the time of his death.

Fred is survived by his wife, Valeri A. (nee Toth) Prusa; son, Philip (Joanna) Prusa of Phoenix, Ariz.; sister, Kathy (Jim) Cerny of Mentor, Ohio; step children, Bill (Jessica) Holcomb of Naples, Fla., Stephani (Nacer) Itibrout of Akron, Ohio, April-Mary Holcomb of Strongsville, Ohio; and five step grandchildren.