Richard Charles "Rich" Pratt

Richard Charles “Rich” Pratt, 74 of Centerville, Texas, passed away on November 2, 2020 at CHI St. Joseph Regional Health Center in Bryan, Texas. He had been fighting cancer and other complications for a long period. Richard was the son of Charles and Ella Mae (Schultz) Pratt, born on November 5, 1945 in Scottville, Michigan.

Richard grew up in Scottville and was a 1963 graduate of Mason County Central High School in Scottville, Michigan. Richard worked at several different jobs, which led him to accounting jobs. His accounting career increased when he was hired by Ebasco Constructors and Engineering Company on the Ludington Pumped Storage Plant on Lake Michigan in the field office at the jobsite. That position lasted five years when the company offered Richard a transfer and full time employment position to other jobsites. Over the years, Richard took college courses to improve management operations and learn all the new computer changes and updates. Richard worked more than thirty years working up to Office Manager at many jobs throughout different parts of the United States. Richard often said he had worked all over the United States. Most of those jobs, the family moved also. The one area liked by the whole family and that lasted the longest was in Texas. He loved the warm, hot days and was always outside when possible. That career ended in 2000 when cancer caused a disability.

Some of his favorite things to do were to spend time with family, and the grandsons outside, if possible, and the enjoyment he felt mowing grass in the yard or in the fields. Also, as a child he had a lawn mowing business with his brothers, George, lasting all summer in Scottville, Michigan until he took on jobs at the ballpark, also managing the food stand. Richard was always employed with some kind of job during the growing up years.

Richard married Judy Rinkevicz on October 10, 1964, and they started their married life in Scottville, Michigan, before moving to the city of Ludington, Michigan, and worked as a driver’s license clerk and deputy at the Mason County Sheriff’s Department. Later they moved to a small farm on Kinney Road in Ludington, Michigan. By this time he was working for Ebasco where the huge pumped storage power plant was being built. This made less miles to get to the jobsite. On the farm, Richard had a team of horses and a wagon for them to pull for Sunday afternoon joy rides. He also had ponies for the kids and raised some calves. On the property, he raised most of the feed for the animals with some help from neighbors and his brother-in-law, Ron. With so much knowledge about horses, Richard did announcing at the 4-H horseshows in different areas of the U.S., as well as, Horse Breed Competition shows. Those were long hours but very satisfying for him.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents, Charles & Ella Mae Pratt; brothers-in-law, Joel Smith and Ron Rinkevicz; niece, Suzette Castew; nephew, Dale Rinkevicz as well as, grandparents and several aunts, uncles and cousins.

He is survived by his wife, Judy Pratt of Centerville, Texas; daughter, JoEllen (Jeff) Caldwell of Montgomery, Texas; son, Gene (Emily) Pratt of the San Jose, California area; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Al and Mary Manschesky of Pentwater, Michigan and many nieces-in-law and nephews-in-law. Richard is also survived by grandsons, Cody (Bonnie) Caldwell of Dallas and Brett Caldwell of Montgomery, Texas/Texas A&M University; brother, George (Judy) Pratt of Reed City, Michigan; sister, Cathy Jean Smith of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; nieces, Barbara (Tom) Campbell of Grand Lodge, Michigan and Beth (Jeff) Lundquist of Hamilton, Michigan; nephews, Bradley Smith of Chapel Hill, North Carolina and Gregory (Amelia) Smith of Bozeman, Montana and two cousins, Don Anthony of Dallas, Texas and Don Leonard of Gaylord, Michigan.

A funeral mass will be held 2 P.M., Sunday, November 8, 2020 at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Roman Catholic Church, Buffalo, Texas. Fr. Luis Roncancio will officiate, and interment will follow in St. Leo the Great Catholic Cemetery in the Pleasant Springs Community of Leon County, Texas. A visitation will take place Saturday, November 7th from 5 P.M. to 7 P.M. with a rosary held from 7 P.M. to 8 P.M. at Walters Funeral Home, Centerville, Texas.

Pallbearers: Eustaquio Sanchez, Darrell Heckt, Cody Caldwell, Brett Caldwell, Jose Angel Navarro, Diego Gonzalez

Honorary Pallbearers: Russell Jonas, Paul Swetlick, Jeff Caldwell

Arrangements are under the direction of Walters Funeral Home, Centerville, Texas.