Gregg Ernest Pritchard

Born July 16, 1958 to Alva and Voncille (Lovelace) Pritchard, Gregg was raised by a hardworking and gentle father and a loving but mischievous mother. As a young boy Gregg delighted in riding his bike and ignoring his mother’s calls to come home. He spent time playing mini golf in “the forest” behind his home on the course his father built, and shared family adventures, like hiding from the door-to-door Watkins salesman, Mr. Claufcorn. He fondly remembered, stifling laughter while his mother whispered, “Shush, don’t make any noise.”

From an early age, Gregg displayed a meticulous and analytical mind. By age 3, he was able to identify the make and model of the cars that passed on the road. When he finished playing, he would line up his toy cars in the driveway to wash them.  His careful nature extended to everyday tasks, like methodically applying mustard and ketchup to his hotdog buns, a habit his sister Penny still recalls from the day she took the last hotdog and his precisely prepared bun found a new trajectory.

He was granted a driver’s license early so he could legally drive tractors and work on the neighboring farm. As a teen, he moved back to his family’s farm in Hammon, Oklahoma. At 16, he began his own business, purchasing a Dew Eze Hay Monster to haul hay for the local farmers. By his junior year in high school, he was one of the school’s bus drivers.

Gregg graduated from Hammon High School in 1976 and attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University where he majored in chemical engineering, physics, and minored in geology. It was there he began tutoring Connie [Flynt] in computer science. The two began dating, and despite Gregg showing up for a date in dress socks and bike shorts, they married on March 10, 1984.

Professionally, Gregg dedicated 40 years to 3M, rising to the role of Quality Manager before retiring in 2019.

A fan of classic westerns, you could often find him watching an episode of Gunsmoke or The Rifleman. Yet nothing brought him more joy than watching his grandchildren in school programs, community plays, sporting events, and playing together in the living room. His family was blessed by his generosity and thoughtfulness, which sometimes bordered on endearing annoyance, like the time he added two hours to a family trip just to get a specific treat for his lovely wife.

Gregg was well-versed, or perhaps feigned expertise, on topics including but not limited to various grasses, animals and wildlife, automotive maintenance and repair, rock-forming minerals, weather patterns and atmospheric conditions, and the history of fences.

He was a man on fire, both literally and figuratively. His passion for washing cars, stick-free yards, and the value of a penny was unparalleled. In one unforgettable moment, he literally caught fire in the yard, with his young children on the sidelines cheering him to stop, drop, and roll like it was part of the plan.

Above all, Gregg wholly trusted Jesus and loved His church dearly. He remained a devoted member of Beltline Church of Christ; he served as an elder for 23 years. He loved the word of God and often steered dinner-table conversations to encourage his family to think more deeply about it together. All who knew him have benefitted from his gentleness, wisdom, and encouragement.

Cherishing Gregg’s memory are his siblings Curtis (Shelley) Pritchard, Jim (Jeannie) Pritchard, Linda (Jim) VanOrden, Penny (Roger) Shockey, and his 14 nieces and nephews. He will be forever loved and missed by his wife Connie, his children Jonathan (Amber) Pritchard, Jessica Pritchard, David (Laura) Pritchard, and those who lovingly knew him as Granddaddy: Ella, Ike, Abigail, and Joshua.

Gregg is preceded in death by his parents, Alva and Voncille Pritchard.

Visitation will be Tuesday, December 16, 2025, from 12:00 to 2:00 pm at Beltline Church of Christ. The funeral service will begin at 2:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Next Steps at Beltline Church of Christ.

Pallbearers: Jonathan Pritchard, David Pritchard, Brentlyn Harriman, Brian Harriman, Brendan Huismann, and Zach Starnes.

Honorary Pallbearers: All the Shepards at the Beltline Church Gregg had the honor of serving alongside.