Obituary: Nola Pritchard
Nola Pritchard, 89, of Clarinda, Iowa passed away Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at Azria Care, Clarinda, Iowa. A Funeral Service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, March 28, 2026, at First Christian Church, Clarinda, Iowa with Pastor Mike Harvey officiating. Visitation will be held 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, March 28, 2026, at the First Christian Church prior to the service. Open visitation will be held at Nodaway Valley Funeral Home, Clarinda on Friday, March 27, 2026, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Memorials may be directed to Nola Pritchard Memorial. Memories can be shared with the family at www.nodawayvalleyfuneralhome.com. Arrangements were entrusted to the Nodaway Valley Funeral Home of Clarinda.
Nola Janis Fletchall was born June 15, 1936, at home in Grant City, Missouri, to Matilda Evaline (Sowards) Fletchall and Delbert Earl Fletchall. She attended all twelve years of school in Grant City, Missouri. On December 27, 1952, she married Walter E. Pritchard while he was in the service in Neosho, Missouri. They moved to Mt. Ayr, Iowa after his discharge from the service. They were blessed with four children: Cathy Diane, Joni Kaye, Mark Allen, and Janis Elaine.
Being a homemaker and mother were her goals in life. Her family was her priority and joy and thoroughly enjoyed following all their activities. Nola’s church and Hy-Vee family were also very important to her.
Church attendance was very important to her, and that’s where the family could be found every Sunday. They attended the First Christian Church in Mt. Ayr, where she was a member of the choir and the Choral Club singing group. While in Mt. Ayr, she also bowled with the Hy-Vee bowling team. After living in Mt. Ayr, they were transferred to Ottumwa, Iowa, for three years, then returned to Mt. Ayr. In 1965, they moved to Clarinda, Iowa, where she became a member of the First Christian Church and was a member of church circles and the CWF. She also bowled in the Hy-Vee league and sang with “The Women of Song” and church choir.
Nola enjoyed walking, mowing the lawn, painting, reading, writing poetry, watching hummingbirds, attending plays, and being with babies. She also enjoyed taking church bulletins to shut-ins in the nursing homes and Eiler Place and visiting with the residents. She attended every Glenn Miller Festival, and – as a child – she knew John Mossbarger, the man who provided Glenn with his first trombone.
Preceding her in death were her husband, Walter, her parents, parents-in-law, sisters, Fern Wilson, Reva Lacey, brothers, Eldred and wife, Eva Lee, Galen, Victor and wife, Hazel, and Allen and wife, Grace. Also preceding her were sister-in-law, Lucille (Pritchard) Moler and husband, Ben Moler, brothers-in-law, Walter Wilson, Walter Lacey, Bill Tullis, and grandson, Landon Jay Hunt.
Surviving Nola are sister, Wilda (Tullis), children, Cathy Hunt (Ron), Joni Sunderman (Steve), Mark Pritchard and Janis Pritchard. Also surviving are Grandchildren, Aubrey Hunt, Evan Hunt (Daniella), Brandon Sunderman (Haley), Micaela Mellencamp (Scott), Lane Pritchard (Amy), Mackenzie Bain (Greggory), Cara Martin (Alan), Jared Witthaus, and Drew Witthaus (Taylar). Great grandchildren, Gavyn and Hayden (Sunderman), Decker, Denton, Bailey (Tim), Will (Bethany), and Lane (Jayden) Mellencamp, Lauren and Ryder (Martin), Dax and Dawson (Bain); great-great grandchildren, Brooks, Abel, Creed, Elodie and Boone, and sister-in-law, Sharon Fletchall (Galen) and many nieces, nephews and friends.
