Robert Pritchard

PRINCETON — Robert Jay Pritchard, 90, of Princeton left to meet his Lord Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012.

He was born Sept. 11, 1921, in Lawn Ridge to Jay and Pearl (Wilcox) Pritchard. He attended Lawn Ridge Grade School and graduated from Princeville High School. He attended Brown’s Business School in Peoria, where he met his wife, Melda Magnuson, of more than 70 years.

Robert worked at Caterpiller until joining the U.S. Army. He received numerous medals for service.

He and his wife farmed in Bureau County in Tiskilwa, then in Whiteside County at Deer Grove and then again in Bureau County in Princeton where he retired because of health problems in 1979 and moved to Princeton. He was a grain, cattle and hog farmer. He enjoyed gardening and took pride in his orchard. People in Princeton enjoyed his “baker’s dozen” for a dollar sweet corn for many years. He sold it from the bed of his truck fresh from the patch.

Robert was a former member of the Chillicothe, Tiskilwa, Tampico and Wyanet Methodist churches and a present member of the First United Methodist Church of Princeton.

Robert was a life-long member of the American Legion, a 70-plus year member of the George Washington Masonic Lodge of Chillicothe, Bureau County Farm Bureau, Florida Farm Bureau and a former Tampico High School board of directors.

He and his wife wintered in Florida for more than 20 years and attended Faith Methodist Church. Robert volunteered at Fort Myers General Hospital, Lee County Hospital in Florida and Perry Memorial Hospital in Princeton.

Robert leaves to mourn his passing his wife; three daughters, Kay (William) Mitchener of Peoria, Carol Wiggim of O’Fallon, Mo., and Elaine (David) Caldwell of Princeton; nine grandchildren, Suzanne (James) Allen, Kathleen (Robert) Bennett, Victor (Shannon) Murrie, Jake (Janet) Murrie, Tricia Stecher, Teri (Corey) Pursley, Corey (Liz) Wiggim, Cindy (William) Spitler and Seth (Johnna) Bickett; 17 great-grandchildren; and three nephews and two nieces. He also leaves his wonderful doctor, Ketan Patel, M.D., his longtime friend John Coers and great caregiver Vaysol Yaremko.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Richard Pritchard; one great-grandchild; and two sons-in-law, Jack Ziegler and Dennis Wiggim.