By then, three children had
been born to the marriage and
the economy had gone sour. Jim
didn’t find work quickly.
But also by then, Jeanette had
left the teaching profession and
was selling real estate for WRC
Inc. in Washington. She had
earned a reputation and even
though the economy was down
and houses were selling well, she
did ok. Well enough to keep the
family going while Jim was out
of work.
“
Those were tough times,
especially for people directly
involved in the downturn. I had
been doing well but at the same
time we didn’t know what was
going to happen in the real estate
industry. Interest rates were 15
percent to 18 percent, people
were losing their jobs and leaving
the area. Still, when Jim lost his
job it wasn’t difficult as far as
our marriage went. I just worked
harder,” Jeanette said.
Eventually, Jim got his real
estate license also and the
Pritchards became partners in a
different way, both working at
WRC. “It was quite a change for
me, I’ll admit that. Up until I got
into real estate I’d always worked
with my hands,” he said.
Yet Jeanette thinks he was born
for the business. “Real estate is
a people business and I don’t
think you could find much more
of a people person than Jim.
He knows how to build com-
mitments with people, which is
essential in this business. We’ve
really had no problems work-
ing together. In fact, Jim is the
easiest person to work with. Even
at home because he does all the
things I don’t want to do. So it
works out,” she said.
“
Well, yeah,” chimed in Jim.
“
But I wasn’t always as good a
partner as I am now. I’ve mel-
lowed and I help out around the
house more.”
Sharing and helping each other
are among the keys to their suc-
cessful marriage, the Pritchards
agreed. Being there for each other
has helped when they needed
to be there for others, including
their children.
Tragedy, Jeanette said, has a
way of making what used to be
considered difficult seem less of
a problem, she said. “Nothing re-
ally is as difficult as losing a child
or a grandchild. That is probably
the most difficult thing we’ve
gone through,” she said, referring
to the death of their grandson
Sam who died of spina bifida at
age 2.
“
It is not just your pain you are
dealing with, but also the pain for
and of your children. You don’t
like to ever see your children suf-
fer and you want to do anything
you can to help them get through
it but it is very difficult,” she said.
“
You know, we always tried to
put the children first, go to all
the functions and attend to their
needs. But your involvement
with your children and your fam-
ily never stops just because they
get older. A parent is always,
always on call.”
Their faith was helpful during
that struggle and it has been
another key to the success of their
marriage. “We agreed early on
we would raise the children in
a church-based family and we
have. We’re not really material-
minded people but our faith is
very important to us,” Jeanette
said.
Jim said faith and having
good friends has helped him and
Jeanette to keep their friendship
with each other strong, help-
ing solidify their partnership. “I
mean, we argue like everyone
else does, but in the end we
always know the other is going to
be there.”
“
It goes back to commitment,”
Jeanette said. “We just never
thought there was any other
option but to be together. Would
I do anything different? That’s
a difficult question because it is
circumstances that cause you to
do the things you do. But I don’t
think I would.”
Jim said affection for each other
has never waned, “but they have
grown in ways you don’t expect.
We still love each other, more and
more.”
24
thePeorian.com
Jim and Jeanette Pritchard photographed recently in their Washington home.
