Gladys Eleanor Pritchard

died at home October 2, 2011, age 90.

Gladys was born in Saint Louis, MO. on May 9, 1921, a daughter of

August and Anna (née Mueller) Richter. She graduated from Soldan High

School in Saint Louis in 1939. During World War II she worked for

American Cartridge Co., an ammunition plant in Saint Louis. There she

met her first husband, A.E. (Bud) Pritchard, whom she married in Los

Angeles, CA. in 1943. After the war, Gladys and Bud lived in Saint

Louis and Jennings, MO., in the towns of Roxana and Edwardsville, IL.,

and in Houston, TX. Her life was primarily occupied with keeping their

home and raising their three children, while Bud worked his whole

career as a manager at Shell Oil and Shell Chemical Companies.

During their time in Illinois, Bud and Gladys were members of the

Sunset Hills Country Club in Edwardsville. They were active members of

Mount Calvary and Grace Lutheran churches in Saint Louis, Trinity

Lutheran Church in Edwardsville, and Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in

Houston.

After their children left home, both Gladys and Bud became active in

Stephen Ministries, which organizes church members to provide

emotional and spiritual care for each other, and she was honored to

address their national convention in 2005. She was also proud of the

success of a Vietnamese refugee who came to the United States in the

late 1970s and to whom she taught English.

After Bud Pritchard's death in Houston in 1991, Gladys married Thomas

Hunter of Houston in 1994. They lived together in the towns of Tigard

and King City, OR., were members of Calvary Presbyterian Church, and

lived most recently at the Pacific Pointe Retirement Center.

Gladys suffered from pulmonary hypertension, and her breathing became

increasingly difficult in her last years. Despite her discomfort, she

continued to express her love for her family and to reach out in

friendship to others. After celebrating her 90th birthday with her

family, her health declined and she became increasingly frail;

nevertheless, her death was unexpected, as only the day before she had

been happily recalling fond memories.

Gladys is survived by her husband Thomas Hunter, and by her children

Steve Pritchard of Peachtree City, GA., Barbara Forrest of Tigard,

OR., and Mark Pritchard of San Francisco, CA. She is also survived by

a half sister, Millie Todebusch of Peoria, AZ, as well as seven

grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

No services will be held in Oregon. A memorial service at Gloria Dei

Lutheran Church in Houston, TX., on Monday, Oct. 10, at 10:00 a.m.,

will be led by the Rev. John Kieschnick. This will be followed by a

graveside service at Forest Park East Cemetery in Webster. In lieu of

flowers, the family requests donations be made to Stephen Ministries.

Arrangements under the direction of Young's Funeral Home, Tigard, OR.