Vivian Elizabeth Walker Pritchett

After a courageous battle with Alzheimer's disease, Vivian Pritchett peacefully succumbed on Sunday, July 2, 2017 at 7:50 AM. She was attended by her devoted and beloved son, Herb, who held her hand as she drew her last breath. A remarkable woman, Viv will be greatly missed, but never forgotten, by all who knew her.
Viv was born in McCaysville, Georgia during the Great Depression. Four years later, Viv, her six siblings, and her wonderful parents, Maude Pope Walker and Ross C Walker, moved to a large two story home with ninety acres of farmland just outside of Blue Ridge, Georgia. This is where Viv grew up. Although her father was a self-employed buyer and seller of cattle and heating oil in the local area, the family also farmed their own land. It was hard work but very rewarding. Viv never forgot the important lessons about family, responsibility, and love that she learned during this period of her life.
After World War II ended, Viv's future husband, Robert A Pritchett, returned to his hometown of Blue Ridge after convalescing from serious wounds suffered in battle. Only fifteen when he enlisted, Bob wanted to join his older brothers in the defense of his country.
When Bob got home, he studied and earned his GED. During this time, Bob met a beautiful high school student named Vivian. She was a popular majorette and band member who earned very good grades. After graduating from high school, Viv began dating Bob. It was an instant love match, and they married six months later. Their happy union lasted over a half century and brought both of them great joy. For a brief time after their wedding, Viv and Bob worked at a company called Van Raalt while they saved money for college.
After Bob was accepted to the University of Georgia, they moved to Athens in 1953. While Viv studied medical office administration at a business/secretarial school and both worked part-time jobs, Bob studied chemistry. Soon, the pathologist at Athens Medical Center hired Viv as his secretary. The experience was truly a trial by fire. On Viv's first day, she had to take dictation while the doctor performed an autopsy in the same room. Near the end, Viv fainted. However, her boss admired her determination since all other applicants had quit when they were told what was expected of them. In 1957, Bob graduated from UGA with a degree in chemistry. Since that time, he always told everyone that any of his accomplishments in life rested on the steadfast support of his wife. He could not have done it without her.
In 1957, Viv and Bob moved to Atlanta when he was hired as a research chemist at City Services, Inc. Based on the glowing recommendation of her former boss, Viv was hired as the secretary of the chief pathologist at Grady Memorial Hospital. Soon, she was promoted to office administrator of that department. Before Viv left Grady, she was asked by numerous medical residents to head their practices' offices. Even Georgia State, when it had a vocational division, tried to hire Viv as a medical secretary instructor.
Everything changed for Viv and Bob in the early sixties when their son, Herb, arrived. She quit Grady to raise him, and Bob resigned from his research position when his company relocated to Princeton, New Jersey. Instead, Bob invested in Medlock Auto Parts and became co-owner with his brother-in-law Robert Walker. During this same time, Viv and Bob moved to Decatur where they remained the rest of their lives.
As a homemaker, Viv was incredible. She always put family first. Viv strived to create a warm welcoming home filled with love for her family. She expressed her caring in everything that she did. Whether cooking, cleaning, gardening, or planning activities, Viv always did her best, and it showed. No major holiday, especially Christmas, went by without her decorating her home beautifully for the occasion and cooking a feast. Viv even won neighborhood awards for her holiday creations. (She also often volunteered to help decorate the club house at Druid Hills Golf Club and Callanwolde Fine Arts Center.)
As a mom, Viv was simply the finest. From the beginning, she was a hands on parent who loved, cared for, taught, disciplined, protected, and played with her young son. As he grew older, Viv made sure that he had every opportunity that she could provide. Whether it was Little League, music lessons, cultural events, travel, or school activities, she was there encouraging him to learn and to embrace new experiences. She wanted her son to get the most out of life. Above all, Viv taught him the importance of good manners and values like hard work, honesty, and treating others with respect. Her son was often told by friends how lucky he was to have such a wonderful mom, but he always knew.
As husband and wife, Bob and Viv did almost everything together. They shared many common interests and genuinely enjoyed each other's company. For over forty years, they were members of Druid Hills Golf Club where they loved to play the game with their friends or just with each other. During the seventies, they enjoyed boating and water skiing on their cabin cruiser, the Davalo. For thirty years, they were also avid bowlers in various leagues. Vivian, a natural athlete, was most proud of her hole-in-one at the American Cancer Tournament on Jekyll Island and her bowling trophy for a high game of 256.
During Viv's and Bob's marriage, they were fortunate to travel extensively. Among their favorite destinations were Europe, the Caribbean, California, Scottsdale, and Ponte Vedra.
Viv loved completely, her loyalty was absolute, and she was never a quitter. When her mom's health declined, Viv tried to persuade her to move in with her, but her mother wanted to remain in her home. So, Viv insisted that she visit often throughout the year, and Viv cared for her as much as she possibly could while making sure that her mom had the best medical attention. Near the end, Viv stayed with her mom every day during the last three and half months of her life and attended to her every need. When Viv's husband, brother, and sister-in-law were stricken with devastating illnesses at the same time, she did her very best to look after them often going from house to house. She even took her husband to specialists at the Mayo clinic. During the last three years of Bob's life, Viv rarely left his side, and she and her son cared for him in his home while he battled cancer and kidney failure. After Bob's death in December 2008, she never completely recovered. She had lost the love of her life.
Although family always came first, Viv helped others whenever she possibly could. During the seventies and eighties, she collected money for the March of Dimes and the American Cancer Society. As a member of the Red Cross, Viv volunteered as a hospital assistant at DeKalb Medical Center, where she comforted families waiting to see their loved ones in intensive care and took them into the unit for visits. She found such work very rewarding.
Finally, Viv was a devout Christian who endeavored to practice what she believed. For instance, she tried to treat others as she would want them to treat her. In addition, Viv attempted to turn the other check when mistreated and to forgive others because there is no forgiveness for those who cannot forgive. Viv also strived not to judge so that she would not be judged, and she tried to love her neighbor and show kindness and respect. Although Viv realized that she would often fail in her efforts to be a good Christian, she prayed for God's forgiveness and did her best to repent and learn from her sins. She knew that humans tend to reap what they sow. Viv was a member of Scott Boulevard Baptist Church in Decatur and a former member of First Baptist Church of Blue Ridge.
In addition to her son, Viv is survived by her brother, Herb Walker, and her sister-in-law, Sonja Walker, of Brookhaven, as well as her sister-in-law, Betty Walker, of Sandy Springs. Viv also has numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. The Pritchett family would also like to thank her dear friends: Mimi Siegel of Buckhead, Lynell Chance of Saint Simons Island, Julie Whittaker of Louisville, Thelma Thornton of Decatur, and Bill Maebert of Jacksonville Beach for their ongoing concern and friendship.
At 1:00 PM on Sunday, July 16, 2017, at Cochran Funeral Home in Blue Ridge, GA, public visitation with the family will begin; followed by a funeral service in the chapel at 2:00 PM. Internment at Chastain Memorial Park will then occur. For those so inclined, a small contribution in Viv's memory to Alzheimer's Research or a charity of their choice would be greatly appreciated.