Obituaries

Mary Delia Prather

Photo of Mary Delia Prather Photo of Mary Delia Prather
Mary Delia Carrigan Prather of Little Rock, passed away peacefully at her home on Monday, May 9, 2011. She was born June 17, 1917 in Hope, Arkansas, to Delia Pence and Steve Carrigan Jr. Her family has a long history in Arkansas. In the 1840s, her paternal great grandfather, Robert A. Carrigan, moved to Washington, Arkansas, where he farmed and practiced law. Her other paternal great-grandfather, James K. Jones, served as a United States Senator from Arkansas from 1885 to 1903. A "Bowie" knife created by James Black in Washington, given by Augustus Garland to Senator Jones, was inherited by Mrs. Prather from her father, Jones' grandson. Mrs. Prather lent and later gave this knife to the Historic Arkansas Museum. Mrs. Prather graduated as valedictorian from Hope High School in 1934, and graduated from Hendrix College in 1938. Following her graduation, she taught third grade in Hope and Little Rock elementary schools before marrying Roy F. Prather in 1945. He died in 1990. Among her many activities were the Aesthetic Club, the Thursday Book Club, the Second Friday Book Club, and the Fine Arts Club. She was a member of a sewing club that met every other Friday for over 40 years and gave her many cherished friendships. A lifelong Methodist, she had been a member of First United Methodist Church for nearly 70 years, serving on the Altar Guild and attending the Bethel class and later the Bowen class. She is survived by her daughter, Mary Delia Prather, and many cousins. The family would like to thank caregivers Evelyn Stauber, Angie Lane, Joyce Shields, and Laverne Swope and the staff of Elder Independence for their loving service to Mrs. Prather. Burial will be at Mount Holly Cemetery, followed by a Memorial Service at First United Methodist Church at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 12. In lieu of flowers, please make memorials to First United Methodist Church, 723 Center, Little Rock 72201; Arkansas Hospice Foundation, 5600 W. 12th, Little Rock 72204; or to the Mary Delia Carrigan Prather Endowed Scholarship at Hendrix College, 1600 Washington St., Conway, 72032. Arrangements by Ruebel Funeral Home, www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.

Published May 11, 2011

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