Melissa Chapman Pritchard

Melissa Chapman Pritchard, 91, of Morganton, NC died Thursday, November 17, 2011 at Grace Hospital. Born in Burke County, NC on January 12, 1920, she was a daughter of the late Julius Cicero Chapman and Jennie Butler Chapman. Melissa was a member of Gibbs Chapel Wesleyan Church.Melissa is survived by sons, Randy Pritchard and wife, Pam, of Morganton and Jerry Pritchard of Nebo, NC; daughters, Regina Silvers and husband, Ronald, and Sharon Falls and husband, Ed, all of Morganton; grandchildren, Pam Pennell, James Lee Smith, Janet Cook, and Todd Smith, all of Valdese, NC, and Jeremy Silvers, Tonya Seitz, Joshua Falls, and Alicia Berry, all of Morganton; twenty great-grandchildren; a number of great-great-grandchildren; a brother, Cecil Chapman of Morganton; sisters, Minnie Anthony and Vinnie Wellman, both of Morganton; and a number of nieces and nephews.In addition to her parents, Melissa was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Eugene Pritchard; a daughter, Helen Smith; brothers, Dewey Chapman and Frank Hoyle; and half-brothers, Ollis Chapman and Pless Chapman.The funeral will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, November 19, 2011 at Gibbs Chapel Wesleyan Church with Reverends Roger Brackett and Rick Mull officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends at the church from 1:00 until 2:00 p.m. prior to the service. At other times the family will be at the residence of Randy and Pam Pritchard on Causby Road, Morganton.Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.