Charles Leon Pratt (1936-2016)

PRATT, DEEDS, MAY, DIRISIO, JOHNSTON, GOODKNIGHT, CHLUPACH, VASQUEZ, FOSTER, GOLDEN, MINTEER, WILKIE, LASTER, SMEDSRUD, BARTLEY

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 4/23/2016 at 14:18:30

Obituary from Abels Funeral Homes, Eldora, Iowa:

Charles L. Pratt, 79, of Eldora, Iowa, died Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at his home while under the care of Care Initiatives Hospice. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 6, 2016 at the Steamboat Rock Baptist Church with Pastor Harrison Lippert officiating. Burial will be held at a later date at Eastlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery in Eldora, Iowa.

Charles Leon Pratt, son of Eldon and Ramah Deeds Pratt was born on June 12, 1936 at his parents' home near Colo, Iowa. Charles graduated from Nevada High School in Nevada, Iowa in 1956. Charles married Wanda May (Gary Gardiner) in 1956 and the couple later divorced. They remained best friends. He married Jackqulyn DiRisio on August 12, 1978. He worked as a garbage man from 1955 until 1990 in Hardin and Story counties in Iowa. Charles had resided in Story and Hardin counties until 1995, when he moved to attend college at John A. Logan in Carterville, Illinois where he earned his A.A. degree in Electronics in 1997. From 2000 to 2015, he moved around living in Washington State for six years and in Kansas for nine years. Charles enjoyed being a father, grandfather and great grandfather. As a young man he was a musician playing the accordion in a band and for the entertainment of friends and family. He was active in the communities that he lived in, with his involvement in church and civic organizations. At this time, he had begun the process of joining the Steamboat Rock Baptist Church. He loved the Hawkeyes and Cyclones basketball teams and faithfully followed the games. He also enjoyed camping, hiking, riding snowmobiles, country music and dancing.

Survivors include his loving wife, Jackqulyn Pratt of Eldora, IA; children, Robin Johnston and Linette (Mike) Goodknight both of Eldora, IA; Tamatha (Fred) Chlupach of Newton, IA; Pennilyn (Lionel) Vasquez of Eldora, IA; Christopher (Christina) Pratt of Carbondale, IL; Jamie (Derek) Foster of Maxwell, IA; Helen (Larry) Golden of Goldfield, IA; several grandchildren; his brother, Harold (Donna) Pratt of Nevada, IA; sisters-in-law, Rose (Bill) Minteer, Audrey DiRisio, Conalyn (Wilk) Wilkie and Robin Laster; brothers-in-law, Kenneth (Sue Ann) DiRisio , James (Sharon) DiRisio and Joseph DiRisio. He was also a foster father to many other children.

In addition to his parents, Charles was preceded in death by his three sons, Jeffrey Pratt, Glen and David Smedsrud; and his granddaughter, Alexandria Bartley.