Wesley Westmoreland Pritchard

Wesley (Wes) Westmoreland Pritchard, 79, a resident of Cleveland, passed away Sunday March 6, 2011 at the family residence. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church. A graduate of Bradley Central High School with the class of 1949 and graduated from UTK in 1954 where he was the “first Smokey handler”. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in the 101st Airborne. Wes was actively involved in his community where he served on the board of Bachman Home/Academy, Cleveland Utility Board, Cleveland Associated Industries, the Boy’s Club and Main Street of Cleveland. He was a member of the Civitan Club and involved in Junior Achievement and a trustee of the B.P.O.E. Lodge #1944. Wes was the recipient of the M.C. Headrick Free Enterprise Award. After leaving active duty in 1957 Wes joined American Uniform Company and later became president of their Dust Tex Division. Wes started Permna Color in 1967 and Specialty Chemical Co. in 1976. He was also the owner of Pik-Quik Convenience Stores. He was preceded in death by his parents, Howard and Dorothy Westmoreland Pritchard. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Patricia Koltun Pritchard of Cleveland; daughter, Patricia Pritchard Pendergrass and husband, Stan of Greenville, SC; grandchildren: James Westmoreland Pendergrass and Abby Corinne Pendergrass both of Greenville, SC; and special caregiver, Rick Stevenson. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at First Presbyterian Church with the Reverend Joe Tanner officiating. Interment will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens with military honors. Dean Chase, David F. Smith, Marvin Perlman, Lester Simerville, Bob Borge, L.C. (Buddy) Rhodes, Rich Mooney, Phillip Newman and Paul Godfrey will serve as pallbearers. His family will receive friends from 5-8 p.m. Monday, March 7, 2011 at Ralph Buckner Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Cleveland, P.O. Box 19269, Chattanooga, TN 37416, First Presbyterian Church, 433 North Ocoee St., Cleveland, TN, 37311 or Boys and Girls Club of Cleveland, 385 3rd St., Cleveland, TN 37311. We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Pritchard family guestbook at www.ralphbuckner.com.