Funeral services and a Mass of Christian Burial for Mary Anne Prichard, 75, a resident of Davenport, will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, July 17, 2010, at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Davenport. Burial will be in Oakdale Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Davenport. Visitation will be 3-6 p.m., Friday, July 16, at the Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home in Davenport.
Mary Anne passed away Wednesday, July 14, 2010, at the Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House, Bettendorf, following an extended illness.
Mary Anne McClure was born Aug. 17, 1934 in Wilkinsburg, Penn., a daughter of Herbert Laidlaw and Martha (Roberts) McClure. She was united in marriage to William T. (Bill) Prichard Jr. at St. Cletus Parish in La Grange, Ill. on Feb. 16, 1957.
Mary Anne had a peripatetic childhood, living in Pennsylvania, New York, and Washington state before settling in La Grange at the age of 17. After graduation from Lyons Township High School in 1952, she attended Northern Illinois University, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in education in 1957. At Northern, she was a member of the Sigma Sigma Sigma national sorority. After her marriage, she and Bill lived in four different communities in nine years – New York City, N.Y.; Washington, Ill.; Fort Worth, Texas; and Dallas, Texas — before buying a home on Prospect Terrace in Davenport in 1966, where they raised their children and lived for the rest of her life.
Mary Anne retired from Moline Public Schools after more than 37 years of service as an educator in school districts in Illinois and Iowa. She worked and traveled tirelessly in the cause of special education, served as president of the Illinois Council for Exceptional Children, and helped organize some of the Quad-Cities’ first Special Olympics. During this period Mary Anne completed her Master’s Degree in special education from Western Illinois University.
After her retirement from teaching, Mary Anne remained active in the community, serving as chairman of the Board of Skills, Inc. and as a member of the Illinois Retired Teachers Association as well as the Q-C Hello Dollies, a local craft club. She was also involved in the Quad-Cities chapter of a national sorority for educators.
Mary Anne’s greatest devotion in life, however, was to her family. She loved being together with them all, and especially cherished the time spent with her grandchildren.
Survivors include her loving husband of 53 years, Bill Prichard Jr. and their children and spouses: a son, Herbert “Mac” (Kris Swanson) Prichard, Portland, Oregon; three daughters, Mary Beth “Lizzie” (Rick) Harris, East Moline, Ill.; Kathleen “Katie” (Jon) Christine, Sussex, Wis.; and Rebecca “Becka” (Don) Frandsen, Pensacola, Florida.; her sister Betsy (Mike) Penny, St. Charles, Ill.; her grandchildren, Jon Christine, Margaret (Andrew) Jaros Losey, Nick Jaros, Nikki Christine, Billy Harris, Ben Frandsen, Ian Harris, Elissa Christine, Sam Frandsen; and her great-grandchildren, Andrew Slifka and Oliver Losey; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Mary Anne was preceded in death by her parents, and a son, William T. “Will” Prichard III. May they rest in peace.
The family would like to extend their sincere thanks to all the doctors, nurses and medical staff for all their loving care over the past 10 weeks.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the William T. Prichard III Charitable Trust, a nonprofit that has supported the needs of special education students in local schools since 1979, located at 206 Prospect Terrace, Davenport, Iowa, 52803.
Online remembrances and condolences may be expressed to the family by visiting Mary Anne’s obituary at www.hmdfuneralhome.com.
