Thomas A. Pritchard

Thomas A. “Tom” Pritchard, 70, was born in Catskill, NY, on July 28, 1951, with his sister, Ruth, insisting he would be a girl, and so was the recipient of many pink outfits. Tom grew up in Albany, NY. He spent much of his life in Otsego County and many retirement years on the Gulf Coast of Florida near Englewood Beach. He died on March 12, 2022 in the comfort of his home as a snowstorm raged outside. He was predeceased by parents, Evan and Clara Pritchard, and sibling Doug. His siblings, Dave and Ruth survive.

A man of many interests, he was a dynamic progressive thinker, appalled by injustice and unlikely to accept the status quo easily. Tom was the first in his family to graduate from college, earning both a bachelors and masters degrees. He was community focused, with involvement in town and county planning. Tom was active in many choral groups in Oneonta, Binghamton, Cooperstown, and Venice, FL. Tom loved his cars and would have loved to be a race car driver. He took a course with the Bondurant racing school.

After an exhaustive medical inquiry into his symptoms, Tom received a diagnosis of Bulbar onset ALS -- a disease inherited from the maternal side of his family. This form of ALS robbed Tom early on of his most favorite pastime: his gift of gab. After Tom’s diagnosis, he learned all that he could about this disease. Realizing his diagnosis had no positive outcome Tom opted against artificial means of life support. As a final gift to others, Tom decided he would donate his body for teaching and research in the hope of helping others.

Tom enrolled in Hospice earlier than many people do. Hospice of Chenango County helped him and his family in ways that are too innumerable to count. It allowed Tom and his family the assurance that his final wishes would be carried out -- that he be kept comfortable at home. Tom, and his wife, Alicia “Lisa” (Capaccio) Pritchard, and his immediate family, would like to recognize all the hospice staff, especially Nidia, Kara, Heather, Natalie, Jordan and Melissa. They also are appreciative to his health care provider, Trevor.

To honor Tom’s wishes, there will be no religious service but rather a party to celebrate his life at the convenience of the family. Donations in his memory may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of Chenango County, 33-39 Court St., Norwich, NY 13815, or St. Peter’s Regional ALS Center, 19 Warehouse Road, Albany, NY 12205.