Irene Careta Elliott Pritchard-Oakes

Pritchard –Oakes

Irene was born on April 18, 1924 in the house her Grandfather Joseph built on the land he homesteaded in Chautauqua County, Kansas. She grew up on that same farm the youngest of seven children born to James Aaron Elliott and Ollie Mae Burdette Elliott. Her sisters and brothers were Charolette Uva, Beatrice Edith, Ralph Darrell, Dallas Wayne, Freda Gayle, and Imo Jean Harriett.

Some of her early recollections included shooting a skunk with her finger on the way home from Floyd School when she was five and how on summer nights her grandmother Anna would point out the constellations in the Kansas sky. She loved to hear her grandmother repeat the story of her arrival on the homestead. She would tell how her husband had picked up a handful of soil to smell the richness of the earth. Grandma Anna’s response was, “smells like gopher shit to me”. She fondly remembered making homemade ice cream with her sister Freda in the winter (free ice) and sitting around their pot bellied stove to enjoy the ice cream with family.

Her education began in one room school houses and she attended both Floyd and Shiloh schools. She was not normally the best of students, but in her final year of lower school, with prodding from her sister/teacher Freda, she passed the state exam with honors.

Her high school years were split between Cedar Vale and Sedan where she graduated in 1941. She started college at Pittsburg State Teachers College, Pittsburg, Kansas, and December 7th, 1941 found her working the telephone switchboard at the college. She joined the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority on May 12, 1942, while at Pittsburg State Teachers College. After her first year of college she joined her sisters (Freda and Imo Jean) in Wichita, Kansas and went to work for an aircraft factory. Irene took an office job with Cessna.

Soon after starting work in Wichita she applied for a job as a TWA stewardess and was hired in 1942. She flew for a number of years, first on DC 3s and then on the triple tail Constellation. Flying between Kansas City and Burbank it came to her that she would eventually move to southern California. Departing from cold and wet Kansas City only to land under the warm and sunny Burbank skies captured her. She liked to share the story about an obnoxious passenger, CEO of a Corporation, who complained and threatened Irene with filing a complaint. She courteously gave him a complaint form to fill out. Thereafter a number of other passengers told him how awful he had been and said they would write their own letters complimenting Irene. TWA received only complimentary letters. Apparently, the CEO was too embarrassed to file his complaint.

Irene met her first husband, Charles Sherman Pritchard II, in Wichita, Kansas. They were married on September 11, 1945. The clerk filling out the marriage license form did a double take; the clerk’s own name was also Irene Elliott. Irene continued flying up until the second month of pregnancy with her first child, Suzanne Lee. She left TWA around February, 1947.

Irene and Charles had four children while living in Kansas City; Suzanne Lee, Janet Jean, Charles Sherman III, and Craig Elliott. Her proudest life time achievement would be her children. She achieved her goal of moving to Pasadena, California, with her young family in 1953. Irene experienced some rocky times in her marriage which subsequently ended in 1961. She became the sole provider for her four children. Irene devoted her efforts to looking out for the best interests of her children and throughout her lifetime never ceased championing their success. She worked nights in downtown Los Angeles at Security First National Bank as an IBM proof operator. During this time she prepared to take the exam to become a realtor. She obtained her realtor’s license and began her career in real estate with the intent to one day become a broker.

In 1964 Irene formed a partnership with her sister, Freda Terrill, and friend, Louise Anthony. Together they opened shop and began selling primarily residential real estate as PAT Properties, short for Pritchard, Anthony, and Terrill. After attending the required classes at Pasadena Community College she earned her broker’s license on June 7, 1969. She maintained the business throughout the rest of her life and in later years managed rental property with that name on her business license.

As a realtor and apartment owner, she became a founding member of the Foothill Apartment Association. The FAA was founded on November 13, 1968. Her proudest business achievement working with FAA and Howard Jarvis, was the passage of California Proposition 13 (People's Initiative to Limit Property Taxation) which passed in 1978. She maintained her affiliation with the association and her membership in the Board of Realtors throughout her life. She firmly believed real estate was the best investment.

In August of 1971, she accepted a position as a property evaluator for the County of Los Angeles and remained there until she retired in September of 1986. She continued in real estate on the side and worked on the completion of her 
Associate in Arts degree at Pasadena City College. She earned her AA in 1974. During this time she joined the Los Angeles Alumnae Chapter of Tri Sigma in 1975.

Retirement brought free time for golf and more time for her sorority, Sigma Sigma Sigma. It also opened up opportunities to participate in the social and philanthropic activities of the TWA Clipped Wings International organization. She joined her sister, Freda, and became a member of the Arroyo Seco Women’s Golf Club and Soroptimist Club. Golfing was one more thing on the list Irene enjoyed with her sister and Best Friend Forever, Freda. Golf gave them another outlet for sharing time together. Irene enjoyed golfing until she slipped and broke her hip on the 3rd hole at the Arroyo Seco course on January 28, 2011. Occasionally after her fall she would return and play nine holes.

Irene enjoyed socializing with her many Tri Sigma friends and after becoming a lifetime member in 1991 she helped promote their fund raising endeavors. She held the position of chapter treasurer as well as other offices. She received her “Golden Violet” pin in 1991. It is through her Tri Sigma activities that she met Aileen Oakes and Aileen’s husband Howard. After Aileen passed in 1986, Howard’s and Irene’s friendship continued to grow.

On March 25, 1990, Irene was united in marriage to her longtime friend, Howard Geyer Oakes, at The Santa Anita Church, Arcadia, CA. For over ten years Howard and Irene enjoyed sharing numerous social activities, traveling and companionship until his death on June 19, 2001. They complimented each other and were particularly happy to have the opportunity to travel to Russia and sail down the Volga River, as well as, vacation in Hawaii.

As can be seen from this abbreviated biography, Irene Careta Elliott Pritchard-Oakes lived a full life with many trials, tribulations and joys. It was a life that for the most part gave her many life time friends, accomplishments, happiness, and the love of her family. It echoes the sentiments of a poem by Henry Van Dyke that her Grandmother Anna Elliott loved:

“Be Strong—

It matters not how deep entrenched the wrong,

how hard the battle goes, the day how long, fight on,

tomorrow comes the song.”

“The song—

We are not here to dream, to play, to drift,

we have hard work to do and loads to lift,

shun not the struggle, face it, it’s God’s Gift.”

She was able to enjoy her 90th birthday in April with a large portion of her family. But her health and strength rapidly deteriorated until she finally succumbed to the effects of Alzheimer’s on August 21st, 2014.

She is preceded in death by: her father, James Aaron Elliott; her mother, Ollie May Burdett Elliott; her sisters, Charolette Uva Elliott, Beatrice Edith Elliott, Freda Gayle Elliott Terrill, and Imo Jean Harriett Elliott Carter; her brothers, Ralph Darrel and Dallas Wayne Elliott; her husband, Howard Geyer Oakes; and her son Craig Elliott Pritchard.

She is survived by: her son, Charles Sherman Pritchard III; daughter, Suzanne Lee Pritchard Wernicke and her son-in-law, Peter Heinz Wernicke; daughter, Janet Jean Pritchard Quigley; niece, Linda Gayle Carter Heath; and nephew, Mitchell Kent Carter;

Five grandchildren, Christine Mary Quigley Hanohano, William James Quigley, Craig Bradford Pritchard, Nicole Suzanne Wernicke Lucio, Eric Peter Wernicke;

Ten great grandchildren, Kyle Thomas Pritchard, Ryan Scott Pritchard, Noah Keali'imaika'I Hanohano, Cody Brendan Quigley, Cody Peyton Pritchard, Dylan Charles Pritchard, Kara Irene Quigley, Emma Nicole Lucio, Ella Bleu Lucio, and Valentina Felisa Wernicke.

Services to be held Saturday, September 27, 12:00 noon, at The Santa Anita Church, Arcadia, California. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, American Cancer Society, or USO.

Her cremains will be inurned with her Elliott family members at Belknap Cemetery, Chautauqua County, Kansas at a date not yet determined.

When I am gone

When I am gone, release me, let me go.

I have so many things to see and do.

You mustn't tie yourself to me with tears,

Be happy that we had so many years.

I gave you my love, you can only guess how

much you gave me in happiness.

I thank you for the love you each have shown,

but now it’s time I traveled on alone.

So grieve a while for me, if grieve you must,

then let your grief be comforted by trust.

It’s only for a little while that we must part,

so bless the memories within your heart,

I won’t be far away.

If you need me, call and I will come.

Though you can’t see or touch me, I’ll be near.

And if you listen with your heart you’ll hear

all my love around you, soft and clear.

Unknown