Max D. Prichard

Max D. Prichard, 83, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, passed away at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, November 22, 2016, at Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne.

He was born December 10, 1932 in Ohio City, the son of John Elroy and Grace Elma (High) Prichard, who both preceded him in death. On April 13, 1968, he married Margaret E. (Hope) Prichard, who survives at the residence.

Max was a member of the 1950 graduating class of Ohio City-Liberty High School; he obtained a professional accounting degree from Fort Wayne International Business College in 1952.

He was employed at Central Mutual Insurance in Van Wert from 1952 to 1972, serving as manager of the Accounting Department and a member of the Accounting Committee for I.R.M. in White Plains, New York.

He was then employed by First Federal Savings & Loan as its secretary-treasurer in 1972 and was immediately elected to the Board of Directors and served that position for 33 years, retiring from First Federal in 1994 as president and CEO. While there, he attended the Ohio Saving and Loan Academy at Ohio University and received a certificate of completion in Honolulu. He also served as a district director of the Ohio League.

He served as a councilman at-large on Van Wert City Council and then as city treasurer.

He was a member of the Taylor Chapel United Methodist Church in Fort Wayne and former member of Trinity United Methodist Church and First United Methodist Church in Van Wert, where he was very active in the choirs and served on various committee in the churches.

He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Van Wert County Historical Society, and served as its treasurer for several terms.

He was a member of Van Wert Rotary Club and served as its treasurer before becoming a member of the Board of Directors and later elected president. He was a delegate to the Rotary International Convention held in Nice, France.

He had worked at Bee Gee Reality & Auction Company in Van Wert, obtained his Ohio real estate license after retirement and was a licensed auctioneer in both Ohio and Indiana.

Max was a lifelong OSU fan and cherished spending time with his family. He had a tremendous love for antiques and garage sales and spent much of his time with good friends at the Valley of the Pines in Angola, Indiana.

In addition to his wife, Max is survived by three children, Rhonda (Thomas) Drakulich of Minerva, Lindsay Clark (Michelle) Prichard of Pittsford, New York, and Jennifer Marie (Randy) Jennings of Fort Wayne; a sister, Ardyth Bennett of Sun City, Florida; and seven grandchildren, Emily, Joseph, and Adam Drakulich, Tyler and Tory Prichard, and Jessica and Brooke Jennings.

Two sisters, Thelma Custer and Mary Lue Krugh; and four brothers, William Dale Prichard, Don E. Prichard, Von E. Prichard, and Wilbur R. Prichard, also preceded him in death.

Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Monday, November 28, at Cowan & Son Funeral Home in Van Wert, with Pastors Steve Connor and Keith Schreffler officiating. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery in Ohio City.

Visitation is from 1-5 p.m. Sunday, November 27, and an hour prior to services Monday at the funeral home.

Preferred memorials: Taylor Chapel United Methodist Church in Fort Wayne or The Salvation Army in Van Wert.

Condolences may be expressed at www.cowanfuneralhome.com.