Prickett Is October Veteran Of The MonthSometimes a military veteran can be shy or modest about being recognized for their service to their country.
Kosciusko County’s veteran of the month for October 2019 – Tom Prickett – is one such man.
In introducing Prickett at the county commissioners meeting Tuesday, County Veterans Affairs Officer Rich Maron said, “When we try to get our veterans to come in ... a lot of times they’re really hesitant. They feel like there’s so many other people, that’s usually the common answer. They deserve this more, they did more. They think of their comrades that laid down life and all that so they don’t feel they’re worthy of any kind of award. But I think the heartbeat of this award is ... that we wanted to honor the men and women that would have, could have. They went. They didn’t get harmed or come home in a different way. That doesn’t mean that they couldn’t have. ... So this is the fact that they were willing to lay down their lives, and put them on hold and go and serve for us.”
He said Prickett was one of those guys who felt pretty hesitant about receiving an award.
Prickett was born Dec. 8, 1934, in Nappanee. He spent most of his childhood there and then moved to Syracuse in 1947. He graduated from Syracuse High School in 1952.
He was drafted into the U.S. Army in September 1956. His basic training was at Fort Hood, Texas. After basic, he received his MOS-Cook. He attended cook training school in Ft. Hood. After his graduated, he was assigned to U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza, Italy, where he spent the next two years as an Army cook.
Prickett was honorably discharged in 1959 and returned to Syracuse.
He got a job working at Tom Socks Sportsware, and went on to purchase the business four years later. He ran that business for 16 years before selling it.
Prickett got his real estate license, which he had for 43 years.
He married his wife, Vicki, in 1995. At the same time, he opened their own real estate office.
Tom and Vicki have a daughter, Mary Ellen Prickett; two grandchildren, Zoe Ellen White and Lola Mae Baker; and a great-grandchild, Dallas Allen Kinney.
He is also a past president of the Syracuse-Wawasee Rotary Club, Syracuse Town Board, Flotilla Committee and the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce. He’s also a member of Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite and Mizpah Shrine.
