LOUIS PRITCHETT

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- Louis Vernon "Sonny" Pritchett, 67, of East Prairie died Sunday, Jan. 28, 2001, at Beverly Health Care in New Madrid, Mo., following an extended illness.

He was born Aug. 12, 1933, in East Prairie, son of Curt and Mae Vaughn Pritchett. He and Shirley J. McKinnie were married Jan. 18, 1953, at Charleston, Mo.

Pritchett was employed 44 years at Bunge Corp. in Cairo, Ill., retiring in November 1996 as maintenance manager. A resident of East Prairie most of his life, he was named Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year in 1999. He was a member of New Bethel Baptist Church near Charleston.

Survivors include his wife; two sons, Vernon Pritchett of Topeka, Kan., Kevin Pritchett of Savannah, Tenn.; two brothers, Verlon Pritchett of East Prairie, Earl Pritchett of Wynne, Ark.; four sisters, Dorothy Masters of Moscow Mills, Mo., Helen Jenkins, Barbara Stinnett and Vivian Ward of East Prairie; five grandchildren; and two great-grandsons.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother and a sister.

Friends may call at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie after 5 p.m. today.

Funeral will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home, with the Revs. Tim Miller and Raymond Linley officiating. Burial will be in East Prairie Memorial Park Cemetery.