Woodstock, Vermont

Albert Ira Pristaw passed away at Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital in Lebanon, NH on February 20, 2024.  He was surrounded by family and friends as he passed.  Al was born on July 5, 1943 in Boston, MA.  The child of immigrants, he revered education, hard work and working people.  He found his place in the world and embraced a love of the outdoors attending the University of Vermont, graduating in 1965.    After completing graduate school at Massachusetts College of Optometry, he married Judith Lewis Pristaw and moved to Vermont in 1973 where he started his own private optometry practice and ultimately became the President of the Vermont Board of Optometry.  He loved every covered bridge, fishing hole and general store in Vermont and had a passion for rural America.  He was deeply devoted to his oldest friends.

Al is survived by his loving partner Pauline Drake Holt, his children Dara Sweatt and Josh Pristaw and by his grandchildren Finley and Wheeler Sweatt and Charles and Oscar Pristaw.

The funeral will be at Cabot's Funeral Home at 32 Rose Hill Woodstock, VT on Saturday, March 2nd at 11:00AM.

The guestbook & zoom link for the memorial can be found at www.cabotfh.com

Followed by a reception at Thompson Senior Center at 99 Senior Ln, Woodstock, VT 05091

No flowers by request, donations if desired to Vermont Food Bank  ( https://www.vtfoodbank.org) in his memory.

A link and passcode to the recorded service can be found below...

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/a9KQLqd23TtG1e2vSDVfV5KOGdtunVOjffB4DLOkY6Y2XFaVrDbAGcdvYlw_AWKJ.DgIMtc4e2sfUDR6s
Passcode: 5@@f1aV1