Funeral services for Jerry (J.C.) Pritchard, 79, of Marshall, Texas, will be held at Downs Funeral Home on Friday, January 7 at 10 am. Officiating will be James Runnels, Associate Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church. Visitation will be at Downs Funeral Home on Thursday January 6, from 6 to 8 pm. Mr. Pritchard went to be with our Lord and Savior on January 3, 2022, after suffering a severe stroke. He was three weeks shy of his 80th birthday.

He was born on January 21, 1942, to Elton and Thelma Pritchard in Cass County, Texas. After graduating from Atlanta High School, he attended Texarkana Junior College. Mr. Pritchard worked for Grogan Lumber Company, Tomlin Weber Lumber Company and Snider Industries, for a total of 46 years in the lumber industry.

He was married to his wife of 57 years, Marie Webster Pritchard on January 25, 1964, in Daingerfield, Texas. Mr. Pritchard was a devoted husband, father and mentor. A member of Crossroads Baptist Church, he devoted many years to teaching the youth of his community with the Boy Scouts of America and the Royal Ambassadors.

Mr. Pritchard loved classic cars and collected several over the years. He also loved woodworking and spent much of his time in his shop working on projects.

He spent the past two decades battling the devastating effects of multiple strokes. His faith in God and his love for his family gave him the strength to endure and enjoy the birth of many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Mr. Pritchard loved his family and was always willing to show them how anything should be done, as he was always right. More than anything he bestowed in them a servant's heart and a willingness to help all others in need.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, James Pritchard; his niece, Lori Pritchard; and his grandson, James Cody Pritchard.

He was survived by his wife Marie; his sister-in-laws, Ann Pritchard, Janet Pollan, Karen Baker Driggers; his daughter, Amy (Allen) Martin; his sons John (Nancy) and Randy (Crystal) Pritchard; his grandchildren Heather (Colby) Voelkel, Amanda Pritchard, Baylee (Jessie) Gorse, Noah Pritchard, Jayce Pritchard, Lauren Pritchard, James Pritchard and Chris (Katie) Martin; and his great-grandchildren Elizabeth Voelkel, Matthew Voelkel, Caroline Martin, and Elise Martin as well as three foreign exchange children, Adi and Cornell Radutiu and Jan Cirullies.

Pallbearers will be David Barnett, Jerry Neel, Tony Davis, Mitchell Guffey, Jerry Lunney and David Ingram. Honorary pallbearers are Jim Alexander and David Watson.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Shriner's Hospital for Children, Attention Processing Center, PO Box 947765, Atlanta, GA, 30394.