Joseph Pritts

Joseph Pritts Indian Head Joseph "Neal" Pritts, 87, of Indian Head, passed away peacefully Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012, at Eicher's Personal Care Home, Normalville. He was born Sept. 13, 1924, in Indian Head, a son of the late Calvin and Beulah Keller Pritts. Neal was a graduate of Connellsville High School with the class of 1942. Before starting his own carpentry, heating and plumbing business, Neal held a myriad of jobs including construction in Pittsburgh, builder on the Elizabeth Bridge and Neville Island Bridge, carpenter for the Vesta Mine, traveling assembly crew of prefab homes with his uncle, Russ Keller, and bread truck driver for Kolb Bakery in Blairsville. His first solo carpentry and plumbing job was the former Kalp Motel in Donegal which launched him into his lifelong self-employment. Neal became a master carpenter and would tackle about anything. Numerous homes and cottages in the Indian Head and Seven Springs area are evidence of his building talent. In retirement, he enjoyed building furniture and wooden items that he delighted in giving to those that touched his life. Neal met and married the love of his life, Cynthia Grace Shaffer, while working at Pike Run Country Club as a teenager. They were married in and attended the County Line Church of the Brethren until the late 60s, but Neal retained his lifelong membership in the Indian Head Church of God, where his daughters and grandson were married. He celebrated 64 years of marriage to his wife in 2010 prior to her death on May 10, 2011. Neal is survived by his three daughters, Sandra V. Cancro and her husband, Dr. Chriss Cancro, of Enumclaw, Wash., Jeannine DeMuth and her husband, C. Edward DeMuth III, of Millsboro, and Pamela Gadd and her husband, David Gadd, of Uniontown; his grandchildren, Jennifer Cancro Bursch and her husband, Pastor Doug Bursch, and their children, Kysa, Anna, Nathaneal and Sam, of Enumclaw, Wash., Jason Cancro and his wife, Glory, and their children, Elias, Jasper and Amos, of Bonney Lake, Wash., Jonathan Cancro and his wife, Claire, of New York, N.Y., Christopher DeMuth and his wife, Christy, and their son, Caden, of Fayette City, Dr. Samantha Gadd, of Chicago, Ill., and Kathryn Gadd, of Uniontown; his sisters, Helen Keslar Krumanacker and her husband, Paul, of Connellsville, and Roberta Heide, of Indian Head; and his brother, Herbert Pritts and his wife, Barb, of Normalville. In addition to his parents and wife, Neal was predeceased by an infant twin son of his daughter Pam, Jeffrey Neal Pritts; and his brothers, Harold Pritts, who died at Anzio Beach in World War II and Frank Pritts. The family would like to thank Pastor Doug and Judy Nolt, Rev. Paul and Jane Sandusky and hospice minister, Rev. Lee Maley, for their prayers and support. We would also like to thank Amedysis Nursing and Hospice Services and their excellent staff, Eicher's Personal Care Home and their caring staff and his PCP, Dr. Albert Enany and his wife, Jody, and Anne Nagarajan. The family also extends a special thanks to our friends at DeMuth Florist and Brooks Funeral Home. Family and friends will be received from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday in the CLYDE BROOKS FUNERAL HOME INC., at the corner of Route 711 and 146 Municipal Building Road, Melcroft, 724-455-2310, where a funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday with the Rev. Douglas Nolt officiating. A committal service and interment will follow in the Normalville Cemetery. To sign the online guest registry, please visit www.brooksfuneralhomes.com.