PRATT, Opal Ann

The Wickenburg Sun, Wickenburg, AZ June 3, 1998, p. 6 & June 10, p. 16 Opal Ann (Rucker) Pratt of Wickenburg, died May 31 in New Castle, Delaware. She was 74. Mrs. Pratt was born December 25, 1923 in Winslow. She had lived in Wickenburg for the past 13 years. She was born on Christmas Day in 1923 to Samuel Rucker and Emma May Hand. Sam was a rancher, and he and his family ranged their stock from New Mexico to Arizona, spending most of the time after Opal was born in the area around Hackberry, Oatman and Kingman, Arizona. The Rucker family was one of the old settler families in the area and still has family members living there. Opal grew up riding horses, helping her father with the everyday life of having unfenced stock on an open range. She grew up in an area that has gone, except for the western books that we read today. Opal went to school in Kingman. She was the youngest of eight children. She married Ralph G. Rector in Red Bluff, California in 1947 and after his death she married Lee T. Pratt and lived in Utah for a period of time. After his passing, she moved over to California and went to Mendocino College, where she graduated in 1986 receiving a bachelor’s degree in arts at the age of 62. After her graduation, she moved back to Arizona, living first in Avondale and then moving to Wickenburg in 1993. She worked at the Social Services (CAP) office until her death. She had been visiting with her son Timothy in Delaware at the time of her death. Survivors include two sons, Ronald G. Rector of Phoenix and Tim R. Rector of Delaware; and three daughters, Linda L. Teach of California, Sheryl A. Jackson of Utah and Anita M. Rucker of Utah; 14 grandchildren and 20 ½ great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lee Pratt; sisters Alice, Ethel, Sadie and Pearl; and brothers Dick and Boyd. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, June 4 in the Wickenburg Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral services will be Friday, June 5 at 11 a.m. in the LDS Mormon Church of Wickenburg. Bishop Max Colgrove will officiate. Interment will be in Kingman. Brown’s Wickenburg funeral Home handled all the arrangements.