Elise S Pritchett

Elise Sims Pritchett, affectionately known to Family as Moo, passed away on June 2nd, 2020 and went to join her husband, Kenneth, and her beloved Family and sisters. 44, the number of days our sweet, loving, beautiful 90 year old Mother, held on and fought this horrific Corona Virus in a hospital ICU.

Sara Elise Sims, the youngest of 6 daughters and arguably the bossiest, was born in Bowden, GA in 1929, which she misled us by 6 years, to William and Aner Sims. Known always as Elise, she was the spelling bee champion as a youngster. There was never a word she couldn’t spell or a phone number she didn’t recall. As she grew up, Elise knew she was meant for the city life and yearned to move to Atlanta, where she joined her sisters at the young age of 18. She began her working career with Sewell’s Manufacturing Co., then to Nehi Bottling Co. all while modeling in her late 20’s. In short time, Mom was off traveling around the world working as a Stewardess and Corporate Planner for TWA Airlines. In her 40’s, working two jobs, one for U.S. Mosaic Tile Co and the other a real estate agent, Elise was still able to be a full time Mom. Elise’s primary career was becoming a successful real estate agent, many of which were as a top producer and Million Dollar Club member for Harry Norman.

In her 30’s, following a trip around the world with her soon to be mother in law, “AWA” Pritchett, our father Kenneth A. Pritchett asked her to marry him. Their time spent together was a passionate love and a whirlwind of great experiences including traveling, eating, sporting events with a little more than a touch of drinking. Converted from the beginning to a major football fan, Mom and Dad shared a great passion for dancing, where they won every award given on the dance floor. Married until his untimely death in 1990, Elise became the wife and mother she was meant to be of two boys, Roland and Wesley. Elise reveled at being the Team Mom for all the sport’s teams, carpool driver and certainly spontaneous cook for endless friends and family members. Elise loved her southern roots and most notably had a knack for cooking southern food. Known as “Mrs. P” to our friends, mom had a mysterious knack for whipping up biscuits by hand that we still cannot duplicate and loved making her cornbread, fried okra and turnip greens that were second to none. As her boys grew to be teenagers, she was most notably and infamously knows as “Elise the Police!” given her tenacity to figure out, in advance, her boy’s jaded plans. Some of her happiest years were traveling around the country with her husband to watch her sons play college football. Wesley played at the University of ND and Roland Boston College. Anyone could see her proudly coming from quite a distance as mom gloated wearing 4-5 booster pins, regardless of which child’s team was playing, displaying both children’s faces in full uniform. Famous for fashion and flashy outfits, mom loved her bling and we knew it. As dueling sons for every major holiday event, we would constantly try to outdo one another boasting that our outfit given had more sequins or rhinestones than the other. Always spontaneous and ready to travel on a moment’s notice, no event was too small to put on a full-blown outfit. As a dear BC teammate reminded me, “I’ll never forget meeting your amazing mother at the tailgate, in August, wearing a fur coat!” As much as Elise cherished being a mother, she was an even more doting and loving grandmother to Aubrey, Hollin, Lawson, Marshall and Kane. Even when it was so difficult to get around or when Mom didn’t feel her best, she made sure she wasn’t going to be left out. Moo would drum up every ounce of energy she had if it meant spending time with her adored grandkids.

There is no substitute for a selfless unconditional love of a Mother. It’s a beautiful thing and a grace God proudly bestowed upon Wesley and I and our children. Our Mother loved life and wanted to live. She would have done anything for strangers, friends or family. She lived life for others. I always worried that one day she wouldn’t want to get up, losing most of her friends, all her sisters, mother, father and beloved husband, but it was never the case. She’s now happily with them all smiling down upon us. As Wesley stated, “Thank you mom for the example you set and the precedent you set. May we all strive to be more like you. We love you. We miss you. We are inspired by you. You will influence multiple generations. God bless you!! Thank you God for the time you gave us with her." Well done Moo!

Elise is survived by her sons, Wesley Andrew Pritchett (Megan Lawson), Roland Sims Pritchett (Laurie Holton), grandchildren, Lawson Kenneth Pritchett, Marshall Lawson Pritchett, Kane Wesley Pritchett, Aubrey Grace Pritchett, and Hollin Judyth Pritchett. With great gratitude, the family would like to express their thanks to Beverly Meeks and Karen Whitley for the extraordinary care they have provided over the past years for their mother.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family Monday, the 8th of June from noon until 1:30PM at H.M. Patterson & Son Arlington Chapel, 173 Allen Road, NE, Sandy Springs. Graveside services will follow at two o’clock at Arlington Memorial Park, 201 Mt. Vernon Highway, NW, Sandy Springs, GA 30328.