J. Stuart Pritchard

Stuart Pritchard’s earthly life of 95 years ended peacefully on February 23, 2017, attended by his son, daughter-in-law, and grandson, at Bethany Adult Family Home in Olympia, Washington. Born Jack Stuart on August 29, 1921 in Lander, Wyoming, to David Stuart and Rachel “Rae” Katherine Pritchard (nee Renberger), Stu spent his first three years at a remote tie camp northwest of Dubois, where his father was bookkeeper. The family moved to Gary, Indiana in 1924 to be near family and schools. A transformative 13th summer spent working on a Wyoming ranch instilled in Stu a lifetime appreciation of the mountain West. In 1939, he graduated from Lew Wallace High School, where he was swim team captain and student body president. At Purdue University where he majored in Science, Stu pledged Sigma Chi and became Consul (President). A member of the Fraternity Affairs Council, honorary athletic fraternity Sigma Delta Psi, and student newspaper staff, he graduated in December 1942. After enlisting in the Army Air Force, Stu was selected for the new Army Specialized Training Program. He graduated from Northwestern University Medical School in March 1946, vice-president of his class and member of the medical honor society Phi Rho Sigma. During his internship at King County (now Harborview) Hospital in Seattle, Stu met his life’s love, Betty Colleen Holden. They married in Seattle on August 16, 1947, followed by Stu’s two-year deployment to Okinawa as Flight Surgeon on Kadena Air Base. Betty joined him the second year. After his honorable discharge as Captain, Stu completed three years of Pulmonology and Cardiology residencies in Albuquerque and Chicago, where he became Chief Resident and co-authored a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. In 1952, Stu and Betty with their first two children settled in Olympia, where two more children were born. He served as Chief of Medicine at St. Peter Hospital and spearheaded the establishment of the original Intensive Care and Coronary Care Units, acquired the first Holter Monitor used in private clinical practice in the Northwest, and became the first Medical Director at Panorama City. Somehow Stu found time to pursue outside interests: racquetball, fishing, family camping trips, and farming. Always, he loved his dogs. In the mid ‘60s, Stu discovered The Foundation for Economic Education, founded in 1946 to study and advance the philosophy of freedom. For the rest of his life, he defended liberty, promoting the ideals of limited government, private property, and personal responsibility through individual contact and newspaper editorials. His involvement with FEE included serving as Trustee, organizing seminars, and funding FEE scholarships for college students. Stu never left home without his briefcase, full of extra copies of The Law and other FEE publications to give away. Stu and Betty vacationed at their Montana cabin for many years and, after his retirement in 1991, they moved to Philipsburg. His activities there included hosting “Bastiat’s Birthday” economics seminars at the Museum. During the last six years of Betty’s life, Stu devoted himself to caring for her at home. After Betty’s death in 2005, Stu kept busy corresponding with friends, puttering at the cabin, attending community potluck dinners, cultivating his little garden, and carefully bicycling for exercise. Accompanied always by his dog Sparky on his daily jaunts to town for coffee and socializing, he joked that he still “practiced medicine at the post office,” and delighted in discovering ways that others’ lives unexpectedly meshed with his own. A Life Loyal Sig, he drove across country to attend Sigma Chi reunions, FEE conferences, and his 60th medical school reunion. Stu was an iconic figure in Philipsburg. How does one capture the essence of a life lived out over 95 years? Physician to his core, Stu inspired many with his energy, discipline, integrity, perseverance, and intellectual curiosity. Sentimental and idealistic, he loved his family and laughing with his Betty. Stu’s family expresses deep gratitude to all the friends who loved and helped him through the years. His survivors include his son, Dan Pritchard (Jeanne) of Olympia; daughters, Kristin Tolson (Don) of Hamilton, Montana, and Ellen Silvey (Brian) of Duvall, Washington; grandsons, Stuart Pritchard of Olympia, James Tolson (Allison) of Arvada, Colorado, and Dan Tolson (Dancy) of Jackson, Wyoming; six great grandchildren; sister, Jill Wilson of Sarasota, Florida; and cousins, nieces and nephews. Sparky lives with Dan. Stu’s son Mark preceded him in death. Please leave memories of Stu or condolences for his family in the Guestbook below.