James Preston Pritchett

James “Jimmy” Preston Pritchett, of Mineola, Texas went into the loving arms of his Savior on November 26, 2014 at his home in Mineola after battling cancer for over two and a half years.

Jimmy was born in Mineola on August 26, 1934 to Preston and Juanita Pritchett and attended school in Mineola until the family moved to Refugio, Texas in the forties.

Jimmy served in the US Navy for two years, but his proudest moment was meeting and marrying the love of his life, Nelda Emerson on May 6, 1956. They have been married for fifty-eight years and have three children; Paula Laughlin, Lana Price and Keith Pritchett.

Jimmy and Nelda moved to Orange Texas in 1961 and opened A-1 Jim’s Bonded Locksmith. He was a member of the Texas Locksmith Association (TLA), serving as their president in 1979 and Associated Locksmiths of America (ALOA).

In 1984 they returned to Mineola to be closer to his parents and opened Pritchett Protection. He also enjoyed fishing, gardening, hunting and beekeeping.

Jimmy is preceded in death by his parents and one grandson.

Jimmy is survived by his wife Nelda, daughter Paula, daughter Lana and her husband Jimmy Price and son Keith and his wife Blythe. He has five grandchildren, Lanette, Barbara, Jeff, John and Stephen and two great-grandchildren, A.J. and Alena.