Mary Prater

Service for Mary G. Prater, 79, of Butler, WI, formerly of Cleburne will be conducted at 2:00 P.M., Friday, Feb. 12, 2016 in the Crosier-Pearson Cleburne Chapel. John Read, pastor of the Keene Seventh-day Adventist Church will officiate. Burial will be in Greenacres Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be Adam Mann, Eric Johnson, Cole Prater, Curt Prater, Steven Johnson, Jacob Guajardo, and Jayson Prescher. Visitation will be from 6-8:00 P.M., Thursday, at the funeral home.

Mary G. Prater passed away Monday, Feb. 8, 2016 in Godley, surrounded by her family. Mary was diagnosed in October 2015 with Bulbar ALS.

Mary was born Sept. 4, 1936 in Milwaukee, WI to Michael T. and Pauline Louise Streicher Ganos. She met Robert Earl Prater while he was in the Navy, stationed in Great Lakes, MI and they were married on May 8, 1954 in Waukegan, IL. She moved to Cleburne at that time and began raising three children.

In 1995, Mary returned to Butler, WI to be a caregiver to her mother until her death in 2004. While in Butler she worked alongside her brother, Christ Ganos of Brookfield, WI, taking care of the needs of his office. Prior to that, she worked as an Optician alongside Dr. William F. Patrick and Dr. Robert A. Gracey with Texas State Optical.

Mary loved life, loved her family, and loved being a caregiver to others. She loved nature and painting. She was a member of the Johnson County Art Guild for many years and served as a Pink Lady Volunteer for Huguley Hospital for many years. She was an honorary member of Alpha Omicron Theta Sorority, Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi of Cleburne. She loved the involvement with the community and the many ways the group helped those in need.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Robert E. Prater in 1988; father, Michael T. Ganos in 1977; mother, Louise Ganos in 2004; and sister, Irene Arnold in 2014.

Survivors include her children, Michael D. Prater and wife Debbe of Cleburne, Toni M. Hamm and husband David of Godley, and Julia A. Prescher and husband Keith of Cleburne; grandchildren, Misti Prescher of Cleburne, Jayson Prescher of Stephenville, Adam Mann and wife Hollie of Aledo, Erin Johnson and husband Eric of Katy, Cole Prater with Jessi Baker of Lewisville and Curt Prater and wife Talor of Granbury; great grandchildren, Heather Guajardo and fiancé Steven Johnson of Cleburne, Jacob Guajardo of Cleburne, Kennan and Hadelyn Mann of Aledo, Emmalyn and Ethan Johnson of Katy, Felicity and Spencer Criswell, and Cason Prater, all of Lewisville; great-great grandchildren, Layne Lopez, Ryan Johnson, and Cooper Johnson, all of Cleburne; brothers, Christ Ganos of Brookfield, WI and Tom Ganos and wife Linda of Ixonia, WI; god daughter, Tracy McCaughn; god son, Andrew Arnold; two very dear friends, Marna DeSevre and Micky Pulito of WI; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to say “Thank You” to the many special people who showed so much love and compassion to our mother. Dr. Erik Furman, Cleburne, Dr. Navid Shah, DFW Neurology, Dr. Jaya Trivedi and the ALS Research Team of UT Southwest, Encompass Home Health and Mission Hospice: Becky Woodall, Angie Layman, RN and Tonya Peppel, Social Worker.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Alpha Omicron Theta Sorority, Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi c/o Grandview State Bank, Po Box 1779, Cleburne, Texas 76033.