Johnny H. Pritchard

Johnny H. Pritchard of Trenton, Michigan passed away unexpectedly at his home on Thursday, November 2, 2023 at the age of 63. Beloved brother of Kevin (Lugene) Pritchard. Cherished uncle of Trisha (Jason) Stahl and Phillip (Stephanie Brockmiller) Pritchard. Loving great-uncle of Brianne Smyth, Audrina Stahl, and Corbin Stahl. Dearest friend of many. Loyal companion to the lucky few. Johnny was preceded in death by his parents Paul and Nina Pritchard. He will be deeply and sorely missed by many loving family and friends.

John aka Johnny, JJ, Harry, Uncle, the list goes on - devoted his life to his career, having fun, and his family!

He proudly celebrated 35 years at Ford Motor Company, Flat Rock Assembly Plant on January 4, 2023. He was a Paint Repairman, the best they had some would say. He loved night shift and despised day shift. His work family knew him well and spoke of his dedication and humor. His toolbox was adorned with figurines, greeting cards from past holidays, and stocked with enough ketchup packets and plastic baggies for a year. 😉 The photos and stories shared by his co-workers show a side of hearty humor and companionship. They made sure to make work fun whenever they could. He will be greatly missed by his Ford family.

Although he rarely took vacation from Ford, he visited Florida and took many trips to his favorite casinos. He was passionate about sports – watching, playing, discussing, and betting. The Detroit Lions were a moneymaker as Johnny bet for, and sometimes against them, for years!! You could catch him cheering on the Lions, Tigers, Red Wings, and UofM – to name a few. His massive aquarium and aged bonsai tree were so impressive. His love of eclectic memorabilia and décor always told a story. His love of music was apparent with his vast record collection, five or more MP3 players full of songs, and hundreds of concert ticket stubs.

JJ, nicknamed by his older brother Kevin, was joyfully adopted by Nina and Paul Pritchard when he was an infant. The Pritchards had a very full life of: Italian family gatherings with enough food to feed an army, playing with the neighborhood kids at the park until the streetlights came on (equipped with a wagon full of ALL the sports equipment – JJ was ready for anything!), years of schooling at St. Albert The Great Catholic Church (with several shenanigans thrown in) then onto Edsel Ford High School, memorable summers at Camp Dearborn, countless hours at the K of C Hall, and family trips experiencing new things like Room Service! Private when it came to relationships, he was a loyal and loving companion.

As brother, brother-in-law, uncle, and great-uncle – he may have been a little late 😉, but he was always present and full of love. A man of few words but always ready for a hug. Present for so many of life’s milestones! Weddings, birthdays, cook-outs, all the holidays, graduations, and engaged from a far when he couldn’t make the event. We loved celebrating our summer birthdays together. Finding him unique Christmas gifts was always a challenge but so fun to see the amazed look or rich laugh. He was thoughtful and generous when it came to family.

As children, Phill and Trisha fondly recall sharing his taco meals, driving back home with him from a weekend at their grandparent’s, racing on the Hot Wheels track, playing games, jumping on the trampoline, listening to music, snuggling in gramma’s chair, painting his condo, boating on the Detroit River, and even a secretive visit to the racetrack (Phill’s winning bets were the highlight of the day)! They know he loved them through and through.

As Trisha and Phill’s families grew, it was so special to see he, Jason, and Stephanie bond over their shared interests. Watching him engage with Brianne, Corbin, and Audrina- his great-nieces and great-nephew- will forever be etched in our minds. The joy on Corbin’s face when Uncle joined him for putt-putt, bouncing or throwing the ball, listening to his lengthy stories, and just being present. Audi loved to play and have his attention, also. Even from afar he had a keen interest in the kids’ activities and schooling. His text responses to photos and stories were always lively and filled with !!! and emojis. He loved our children as his own. ❤️

We’re crushed at the suddenness of his passing; we’re holding strong to our conclusion that his heart gave out. 💔 We pray The Lord welcomed him swiftly home without much discomfort. We pray he has lasting peace. We love him forevermore.

Visitation for Johnny will take place on Tuesday, November 7, 2023 from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Trenton Chapel of The Martenson Family of Funeral Homes located at 3200 West Road, 48183. The visitation will continue the following day, Wednesday, November 8, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., with the service beginning at 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home. Inurnment will be held at a later date at St. Hedwig Cemetery.

Please visit Johnny’s online guestbook to share memories and leave condolences for his family.