Phyllis Rupp Pritchard

Born in Buffalo, New York in 1934, Phyllis grew up along the shores of her beloved Lake Erie, where she enjoyed many beach weekends. It was on one of those weekends that she met her husband of 34 years, Bill Pritchard.

The young couple followed Bill’s job as a salesman to Charlottesville, Atlanta, and Jacksonville, before settling in Birmingham, Alabama with their four children. Phyllis was a devoted mother who considered raising her children to be her proudest accomplishment. Her children attribute their successes in life to their mother’s intelligence, wit, and strength.

Phyllis was known for her exceptional sense of style, which was always on display in the warmth of her home. Her twelve grandchildren took great pleasure in visiting their grandma’s house, whether that was in Chattanooga or, later, in Houston. Her granddaughters, in particular, enjoyed her glamorous collection of hats and big boxes of Godiva chocolate.

Phyllis enjoyed traveling with family, especially to Italy, where she could indulge her love of timeless, beautiful things. She often fondly reminisced over an eventful, extended trip to Lake Como with her son Tommy and his family. In recent years, Phyllis became a social media regular after reluctantly receiving a laptop for Christmas. She loved being able to keep up with her grandchildren, whom she messaged with daily.

Phyllis was preceded in death by her father, William Rupp, mother Clara K. Rupp, brother Thomas W. Rupp, sister Norma Rupp Schwab, former husband, William E. Pritchard Jr. and her daughter Pamela Pritchard Edmondson. She is survived by her son William E. Pritchard III and his wife Susanne of Houston, Texas, her son Thomas W. Pritchard and his wife Haifleigh of Warrenton, Virginia and her daughter Cathleen Pritchard Smith and her husband Drew of Cincinnati, Ohio.

She is also survived by her twelve grandchildren, Lauren P. Doyle (Sean), William E. Pritchard IV (Kristin), Catherine P. Cowan (Spencer), Edward H. Pritchard, Molly E. Edmondson, Thomas W. Pritchard Jr., John M. Pritchard, William D.dG. Pritchard, Harrison H. Pritchard, Hannah S. McEachran (Tim), Clara E. Smith, Nathaniel A. Smith and one great-grandson, John P. Doyle.

The family will gather for a private memorial service and burial at Concordia Cemetery in Buffalo, NY, where Phyllis will be buried next to her mother.

The family also wants to thank the team at The Key, Elder Advisory and Houston Hospice for their care of Phyllis in her final weeks.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in Phyllis’s memory be directed to the Concordia Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 744, Buffalo, NY 14217-0744.

Please visit Phyllis’s online memorial tribute at GeoHLewis.com where fond memories and words of comfort and condolence may be shared electronically with her family.