Clara Rose Pritchett (94)
Grayville, Illinois
Birth: December 11, 1928
Death: February 1, 2023
With profound sadness, I am announcing the passing of my mother, Clara Rose Pritchett. A devoted friend of all whose lives she touched, especially the hundreds of high school students she taught between 1950 and 1981. She died peacefully at her home soon after her 94th birthday.
She was born in the small farming community of Sailor Springs, Illinois, at the home of her grandparents on December 11, 1928.
As a young girl, teenager, and adult, she witnessed incredible changes in the making. One year, she hitchhiked to high school because no buses ran where she lived. It was 7 miles from her home but she was never late once in that year. Upon her graduation in 1946, she was awarded a scholarship from Eastern Illinois Teachers College, later changed to Eastern Illinois University. It was there in 1948 that she met the love of her life, Charles Ray Pritchett, who had been discharged from WWII. They married in 1951 and spent the next 31 years teaching in various schools in Illinois. They were blessed with the births of two children, Brady in 1956, and Penny in 1959. Upon graduation from Eastern, they enrolled at the University of Colorado in Boulder and began working on their master degrees which prepared them for many years of teaching. She had a gift for teaching but also enjoyed her almost 42 years of retirement.
Charles and Clara were both children of the Great Depression. Money was so scarce that much of their time was spent at the small, local library reading books and magazines. As Clara grew older, she developed a keen interest in everything political, historical, and especially military stories. Not only was she an avid reader throughout her life, but a lover of crossword puzzles and a great conversationalist!
She was predeceased by both parents, her husband in 2014, and her son in 2015.
A visitation will be Saturday, February 4, 2023, at the First United Methodist Church in Grayville. Visitation is at 10:30 am followed by a service at noon with burial in Oak Grove Cemetery in Grayville.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Clara’s memory may be made to either the USS LST-325 WII Landing Ship Memorial in Evansville or to the First United Methodist Church of Grayville.
My Mother said that grief is the price we pay for Love! I now understand this grief and understand this Love! I’ll love you forever Mom! Your daughter Penny.
Cook Funeral Chapel in Grayville, Illinois, is in charge of arrangements.
I really only knew her as the occasional outpatient in the radiology department at WGH but she always brightened my day and was such a pleasure to care for. She had a wonderful attitude towards everything and told me great stories and was so friendly. Saddens me to hear of her passing.
My wife Karen and I have wonderful memories of Clara and her husband Charles during the years that I served at the Grayville United Methodist Church. They were both very good and kind people. I was so saddened to hear of Clara’s death.
She was our gym teacher during their time in Griggsville, Illinois. She and Mr. Pritchett were very special to our class. She was a special lady.