Joel Pritchard was born in Seattle, he attended public schools as a child and he served in the United States Army.
Pritchard was born in Seattle, Washington to Frank, Sr. and Jean Pritchard on May 5, 1925. He attended public schools as a child and attended Marietta College from 1946 to 1947. At the rank of Sergeant, he served in the United States Army from 1944 to 1946 and was president of the Griffin Envelope Company in Seattle from 1948 to 1971. 
