Kenneth C. Prichard, 95

Kenneth C. Prichard, 95, was born Sept. 10, 1929, in Fairview, the oldest of eight children born to Nellie and Dale Prichard. 

When he was a young man, he and a couple buddies moved across the state and settled in the Flathead Valley.  

Ken worked at a variety of jobs through the years — logging, construction of the Hungry Horse and Libby Dams, and finally ending up as an iron worker at the Col. Falls Aluminum Co. until his retirement. 

Kenneth had seven children, Bonnie, Dean, Barb, Beckie, Bettie Lou, Dan and Kathy, as well as two adopted children, Rachel and Dominic, and two stepchildren, Chuck and Corey.  

He loved horses and enjoyed being a member of the Rocky Mtn Riders Saddle Club where he regularly participated in rodeos and O-Mok-See's. As his children grew up and had families of their own, he liked nothing better than to offer his help on any project they had going on. Sometimes we weren't sure of his "expertise" but appreciated the effort none-the-less. 

He also loved playing pool with Dean most afternoons and made a daily drive into the Night Owl for coffee and his biscuits and gravy! When the time came to take away his pickup keys, he traded those wheels for a 4 wheeled ATV which he rode all over the neighborhood to see his sister Hattie and any of us kids who were home.  

He was able to live by himself in his little cabin until he was 94. He spent the last 8 months of his life at the Bee Hive Home in Columbia Falls where he was lovingly cared for by the staff. Just a few weeks before he got sick, most of the family including his remaining siblings, Forest and Richard gathered together for dad's 95th birthday, where much laughter and good times abounded. 

Dad left this earth Sunday, Sept. 29, but not without the assurance that he was loved and cared for by many. Per his request, no services are being planned.