Dean

Pratt

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IN LOVING MEMORY

Dean Pratt

Aug 19 1934 - Aug 03 2016

Dean Pratt, age 81, of McKinney, Texas, died peacefully with his family by his side at home Wednesday, August 3, 2016.  Dean was born August 19, 1934, in Ironton, Ohio, to J. Earl and Edna Dean Pratt.  He married Barbara Ann Metzger on August 27, 1955, in Athens, Ohio.  She preceded him in death January 30, 2011.  Dean received a Bachelor of Arts from Ohio University, College of Arts and Sciences in 1956, a Master’s of Business Administration from Kent State in 1964, an Advanced Graduate Study degree, School of Education, from University of Virginia in 1970, a Magistri in Divinitate, from the University of the South in 1973 and a Doctoris in Ministerio from the University of the South in 1997.

Dean grew up in Ironton, Ohio and spent much time at his family homestead in South Point, Ohio.  He played football and graduated from Ironton High School.  He was Treasurer of his class at Ohio University and a member of Zeta Mu chapter of Sigma Nu fraternity.  After graduation, he worked in personnel at Babcock and Wilcox in Ohio, Virginia and New Jersey, returning to Lynchburg, Virginia to serve as Registrar and Assistant to the Dean at Lynchburg College.  The Pratts attended St Paul’s Episcopal Church under Bishop Marmion.  Dean answered the call to the priesthood in 1970 attending St Luke’s Seminary, University of the South, in Sewanee, Tennessee. 

He began his role as priest at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Fredericksburg, Texas and St. Boniface Episcopal Church in Comfort in 1973, under Bishop Gosnell, close friend of Bishop Marmion.  He was active in the community and Rotary, serving as President of the Fredericksburg Rotary Club and honored to be Lady Bird Johnson’s priest.  The Pratts moved to McKinney in 1983 for Dean to serve as priest of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church.  He served on the McKinney I.S.D. School board, was deeply involved with Holy Family Church and School, initiated the Ministerial Alliance of pastors and the Samaritan Inn, served as Chaplain for the McKinney Police Department and McKinney Hospital and President of the McKinney Rotary Club.  He began his conversion to Catholicism in 1992 and was ordained a Catholic priest in 1997.

In 2007 he and Barbara coauthored their book, Gleanings from the Journey of a Married Priest and his Artist Wife.   This is a book of experiential “Gleanings” of life that includes many lived examples of vision, joy, humor, heartache and sadness from the vantage point of a married priest.  As a seeker with a void, he pursued the Episcopal Priesthood at age 35 and found much more than he anticipated.  After 22 years in the parish, he became a hospital chaplain and converted to being a married Roman Catholic Priest.  It was quite a journey.  At both the parish altar and the altar of a hospital bed, he found the depth in life he desired.  His wife’s beautiful art adds much to “Gleanings.”  He served Catholic parishes throughout the Diocese of Dallas and continued as Hospital Chaplain in McKinney and Dallas before retiring.

He married Laurann Sutton on February 14, 2012, in Fredericksburg, Texas.  Dean loved to travel and the Pratts made many trips to enjoy the Rangers in Surprise, Arizona, to the Arlington Ballpark with all his family for his 80th birthday, back to Ohio to his roots and even a trip to Europe.  He was an avid reader and continued to share a book and counsel all he met.  He was a member of St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in McKinney. 

He is survived by his wife, Laurann Sutton Pratt of McKinney, Texas; daughters, Jennifer Fay and husband, Warren of Belton, Texas and Melinda Crenwelge and husband, Mark of Waco, Texas; son, Eric Pratt and wife, Toni of Plano, Texas; grandchildren, Andrew Fay and wife, Ivette of Austin, Texas, Christina Fay of Belton, Texas, Jay Crenwelge and wife, Anna of Olathe, Kansas, Ben Crenwelge of McKinney, Texas, Brianna Crenwelge of Waco, Texas, Jordan Spencer and husband, Brett of Plano, Texas, and Haley Pratt, of Plano, Texas; great-grandson, Matthew Crenwelge of Olathe, Kansas; sister, Margaret Ann Kelley and husband, Ralph of Ironton, Ohio; cousins, John Pratt, D.V.M. and wife, Susie and their sons, David, Ed, Paul and Bill Pratt of South Point, Ohio and Shanna Kay Dean Collins and husband, Greg and their children Ty Collins and Randa Collins of Ironton, Ohio; nieces, Kaye Payne and husband, David, of Waterloo, Ohio, Laura Kelley of Ironton, Ohio, Kara Birkel and husband, Brian of Ironton, Ohio, and nephew, Mark Kelley of Melbourne, Florida; great-nieces, Rachael Fraley and husband, Andrew and daughter, Leighton of Waterloo, Ohio, Alaina Gleichauf of Ironton, Ohio and great-nephews, Justin Payne and wife Lynette of Cincinnati, Ohio, Login Gleichauf of Ironton, Ohio, Kyle Birkel and daughter, Brynleigh of Ironton, Ohio, Brady Birkel of Ironton, Ohio, and Matthew Kelley of Melbourne, Florida; step-daughter, Michelle Gifford and husband, Gary of McKinney, Texas; step-son, James Sutton and wife, Cassie of Garland, Texas; and step-grandchildren, Lauren Gifford, Nathan Gifford, Megan Gifford of McKinney, and Jesse Sutton and Collin Sutton of Garland, Texas.

He was preceded in death by his parents, J. Earl and Edna Pratt, and wife, Barbara Ann Pratt.

Rosary will be held at 7:00 p.m. Friday, August 19, 2016, with visitation, refreshments & remembrances afterward, at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in McKinney.   A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, August 20, 2016, at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in McKinney, Texas.  Internment and committal service will follow at Ridgeview Memorial Park in Allen, Texas.  Celebratory reception will follow at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 511 Foote St., McKinney, Texas.

The family invites everyone to all of the above to commemorate Dean’s life.  In lieu of flowers please make memorials to your favorite charity.  To order Dean’s book, go to www.Xlibris.com

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Memorials

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