Robert Leon "Bobby" Pritchett

Robert "Bobby" Pritchett Obituary
Robert Leon "Bobby" Pritchett, 77, of Fairborn, Ohio passed away at his home in the early hours of Saturday 20 July 2024. He was born October 15, 1946, in Princeton, Indiana to Nancy Lucretia "Shug" (Hardiman) Pritchett and Harold Campbell "Happy" Pritchett.
He is survived by his wife, Tamara Anthony Pritchett, daughters Amy (Joe) Gibson of Springfield, Julie (Travis) Trice of Huber Heights, and son Matthew (Amanda Mincheff) Pritchett of Fairborn, grandchildren: Samantha (Dustin) Lapolla, Jordan Pritchett, Travis Trice II, Jenna Gibson, D'Mitrik Trice, Isaiah Trice, Jaycie Gibson, Olivia Trice, and Acelynne Trice, great-grandchildren: Annabella, Joseph, and Lillian Lapolla and Travis Trice III, sisters: Karen Sue Morgan of Princeton, and Sheila Pritchett of McDonough, Georgia, and many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Richard Alan Pritchett and Barry Wayne Pritchett, sister Beverly Clarice Pritchett, and niece Charletta Pritchett.
Bobby was a 1964 graduate of Princeton High School where he excelled in basketball. He averaged 20 ppg his senior year, continuing to Vincennes University where, as a freshman, he led them to their first National Junior College Athletic Association championship in 1965. As a sophomore at VU, he was named the National Junior College Player of the Year. Receiving a scholarship as one of the first African American players at a predominantly white institution in Virginia, he took his game to Old Dominion University, playing under beloved coach Sonny Allen. In two years, he tallied 1,188 points and in 1968, set the Monarch's single-game record of 67 pts. In 2008, he was inducted into the ODU Athletic Hall of Fame. With Naval military service from 1968-1972, and a recipient of the National Defense Service Medal, completed, Bobby received his degree from The Ohio State University and worked 28 years for the Ohio Department of Youth Services where he was a mentor to numerous adolescents. Over the years, he stayed active playing slow and fast pitch softball in the Columbus area. Bobby was inducted into the Indiana Sports Hall of Fame on July 20, 2024. From 2009-2012, He was an assistant basketball coach at Wayne High School in Huber Heights, under head coach, son-in-law, and fellow '24 Indiana HoF inductee, Travis. He loved having the opportunity to mentor and coach grandsons Travis and D'Mitrik. He looked forward to attending Navy football games, Grandparent's and Veteran's Day breakfasts, theater performances, band/choir concerts, tennis, soccer, basketball, and volleyball in support of his grandchildren. Bobby was a member and actively involved in Grove City Church of Nazarene Work & Witness trips to Belize and Guyana, loved riding his Harley Davidson motorcycles, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and perfecting his craft of winemaking. Bobby had a great love of family and being a great-great-grandson of Lyles Station founder, Joshua Lyles, he avidly continued to research his family ancestry. He was able to find his patriclan of Fula and Balanta people living in Guinea-Bissau, and his matriclan of Mende people living in Sierra Leone.
Services will be held on Friday 23 August 2024, at 1p, at Colvin Funeral Home in Princeton, with James E. Wilkerson, Jr officiating. Burial will follow at Sand Hill Cemetery near Lyles Station. Visitation will be from 11a-1p until the hour of service on Friday at the Colvin Funeral Home.
In memoriam donations may be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation on Bobby's public tribute page: https://fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/PFFTribute/RobertBobbyPritchett. Envelopes will also be available at the funeral home.
Condolences may be offered at www.colvinfuneralhome.com. Colvin Funeral Home is honored to serve the Pritchett family.
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