Charles Dennis Prather

May 6, 1932 - June 7, 2017

Prather, Charles Dennis, fortified with the Sacraments of the Holy Mother Church on June 7, 2017. Charles was 85 and born in Greyhampton, KY. Devoted husband of Maxine Prather (nee: Smith), with whom he celebrated over 64 years of marriage. Brother to Mary Eula Gilmore. Dedicated father of Arlene (Steve) Prather-O'Kane, Michael (Mary) Prather, and Susan (Marty) Whelan. Dear grandfather, mentor, and role-model to Sara (Mitch) Mancuso, Mike (Kat) Whelan, Ashley (Travis) Davenport, Captain Dan (Tori) Whelan, Jake Whelan, Matt Prather, and Andrew Prather and great-grandfather to Isla, Sully, Emerson and Maevyn. Charlie was the son of the late Charles Victor and Mary Pearl Prather (nee: Pendleton) of Kentucky. He was a faithful father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin and loyal friend to everyone he met. He served in the U.S. Air Force in 1951 and retired from McDonnell Douglas in 1990. Self-taught on electronics and being a master tinkerer, he really enjoyed fixing, creating, and modifying anything from toasters to TVs or computers. He passed this on to his grandkids, who always enjoyed "building" in his work area. Charlie devoted himself to the Boy Scouts and assisted many with their leadership journey through the rank Eagle. He was a solid chess player who acted as ambassador to the game always teaching, promoting, and introducing the game to others. His brand of humor, for which many will remember him by, although dry and sometimes "corny", could always put people at ease and never was at someone else's expense. Maxine and the Prather family would like to thank Charlie's nurses, doctors, healthcare workers and caretakers of Friendship Village for helping maintain his quality of life until the end. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to US Bank, Charles Prather Scholarship Fund, 141 Hilltown Village Center, Chesterfield, MO 63017. Charlie's 85 years of life were filled with love, family, happiness, and his Catholic faith. Services: Private interment at Jefferson Barracks. Memorial mass on Friday, June 23, 1:00pm Ascension Catholic Church, Chesterfield, with celebration of life immediately following at Friendship Village, from 2-5pm and open to all friends of the family. A BUCHHOLZ Mortuary West service.