Obituary for Gale Prather

Gale Dwayne Prather – Veteran

February 24, 1926 – January 5, 2018

Gale D. Prather, life-long Ponca City resident, died Friday afternoon, January 5, 2018 at his home, Legend at Jefferson’s Garden in Oklahoma City. He was 91, one month shy of his 92nd birthday.

Graveside committal services for family and friends will be held at 2:00 Friday, January 12, 2018 at Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery. A memorial service will follow at 3:00 p.m. in the Chapel of the First Baptist Church, Ponca City, Oklahoma. Memorial services will be presided over by Rev. Marty Grubbs, Senior Pastor at Crossings Community Church, Oklahoma City. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel.

Gale Dwayne Prather was born February 24, 1926 in Wichita Falls, Texas, the son of Glenn Delmar Prather and Gladys Elizabeth (Dillon) Prather. Gale attended Lincoln Elementary and Jefferson Elementary Grade Schools, was a member of the current East Jr. High building inaugural class and graduated from Ponca City High School in 1946. Upon graduation from high school Gale enlisted in the US Army and served outside Frankfurt, Germany at Hochst as part of the reconstruction effort. Upon discharge Gale attended Oklahoma A&M College, graduating May 1949 with an Associates Degree in Diesel Engineering.

He and Mable Grubbs were united in marriage on June 23, 1959 at Kingsport, Tennessee and established their home in Ponca City. Gale worked at Continental Oil Company retiring from Maintenance Engineering in 1985 after 42 years of service.

He was a member of the First Baptist Church Disciples Sunday School Class, serving any area in which he was needed. He was a member of the Sanctuary Choir and Silvertones until his health would no longer allow him to participate. His hobbies included golf, corny jokes, woodworking, fixing anything that had a motor and breakfast with the guys.

He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Greg and Melody Prather, St. Joseph, Michigan; one daughter, Barbara Prather, Edmond, Oklahoma; grandson Derek Prather of St. Joseph, Michigan, granddaughter and husband, Andrea and Anderson Capsel of Indianapolis, Indiana; and grandson Jared Prather of St. Jospeh, Michigan; several nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family members. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mable; parents; a sister and brother-in-law Louise and Paul Nice; brother-in-law David Grubbs.

Casketberers will be Jared Michael Prather, Tim Allen, Anderson Dean Capsel and Larry Grubbs.
Visitation from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday, January 11 at Grace Memorial Chapel, all are invited to meet with family and other friends.

Memorial contributions may be made in Mr. Prather’s name to American Cancer Society, https://www.cancer.org/involved/donate/memorial-giving.html; American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 15829, Arlington, VA 22215. Mr. Prather was a lifelong supporter of donating blood to the American Red cross. The family would like to encourage individuals to consider making a donation in Gale’s memory.