Mark M. Pritchard

Mark M. Pritchard, 89, of Spalding, NE, passed away Sunday, January 5, 2020, at the Greeley Care Home in Greeley, NE.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, January 8, 2020, at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Spalding, NE with Fr. Jim Heithoff officiating. Interment will follow at St. Michael's Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Tuesday at the church with a 7 p.m. wake service. Visitation will resume Wednesday morning at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to St. Michael's Catholic Church or Spalding Academy.

Dolce-Scheef Mortuary of Spalding, NE is in charge of arrangements.

Mark Matthew Pritchard of Spalding was born Feb 20, 1930, the third child of John and Mary (Rutledge) Pritchard. His early education was at District 38, a country school one mile from the family farm. He attended Spalding Academy, graduated in 1947 and never missed his high school reunion (72 reunions). He was named the school's Distinguished Alumnus in 2018. After graduation, Mark helped his dad farm. Upon his father's death in 1971, he took over the farm and was a third-generation farmer. He loved farming, taking care of animals and attending farm sales which he said was his only hobby. He joined the Knights of Columbus in 1951 and was a Knight at the time of his death.

On Aug 4, 1955, he married JoAnn Schmidt. In 1966, he was asked to replace his uncle, John Ringlein, as the hog superintendent at the Greeley County Fair. He held this position and served as a director of the fair until 1997. When asked what he would do after his term ended he said "enjoy the fair." He requested the Fair Board members to be honorary pallbearers at his funeral. He was also a member of the St. Michael's Church Men's Club and the St. Michael's Cemetery Board. Mark and JoAnn had six children, Don, David, Denise, Mary, Dorothy, and Diane.

Mark was preceded in death by his parents, infant daughter Mary, and son David.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, JoAnn, son Don Pritchard (Debra) of Spalding; daughter-in-law Annette Pritchard of Laurel; Denise Spelic (Bill) of Spalding; Dorothy Endacott (Kent) of Lincoln; and Diane Pritchard (Joseph Prinzi) of Philadelphia; 11 grandchildren, Jennifer Leiting, Joseph Pritchard, Susan Pritchard, Lori Lowe, Amy Dohma, John Spelic, Connor Spelic, Sr. Bernadette Rose Spelic l.s.p., Sarah Endacott, Mark Endacott, Michael Endacott; and 8 great-grandchildren, Lucille Leiting, Cade Dohma, Taylor Lowe, Andrew and Blake Spelic, and Cora, Eleanor and Lucille Spelic. He is also survived by his siblings, Gerard Pritchard and wife Kathy of Bellevue; Margaret Ann McCoy and husband Bernie of Omaha; Harry Pritchard and wife Shirley of Lebanon, Ohio; and a brother-in-law, Ray Vlasin of East Lansing, Michigan; as well as numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.