"And then she converted that into the raising of a family and teaching a slew of kids" at her Havertown home.
"There was a parade of music students through our living room all the time while I was growing up," he said.
"Mostly grammar schoolers," he said, but also "high schoolers headed for music careers."
Typically, he said, "she had kids three or four afternoons a week after school." But, he said, "the weekends were family time."
From the 1940s, he said, "she kept teaching into the 1980s."
Moving to the retirement community revived her musical interest. "She did continue to teach to other residents of Freedom Village, after she and Dad moved there, into her 80s."
Her piano playing was similarly away from the spotlight.
"Her performing was almost entirely community work. She was the go-to pianist for accompanying community choruses" in Delaware County, her son said.
At Temple Lutheran Church in Havertown, from 1946 to 1999, "she always sang in the choir, a good alto voice," and in the 1950s and 1960s, taught Sunday school there, he said.
At Haverford Township Historical Society in the 1980s and 1990s, she edited its newsletter.
Besides her son, Mrs. Prichard is survived by two grandsons. Her husband of 56 years, William, died in 2003. Their son Jeffrey died in 2001.
Memorial services are to be private.
Contact Walter F. Naedele at 215-854-5607 or wnaedele@phillynews.com.
