Alice May Prater

Alice May Prater, age 90, of Rogue River, died Saturday, September 10, 2011 at Rogue Valley Medical Center.

A memorial service will be at 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at Hull & Hull Chapel. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

Alice was born November 19, 1920 in Whitwick, England to Ethel May & James Smith Burton. After completing primary and secondary schools, she joined the British Red Cross Society as a nurse, working in hospitals during World War II from 1940 to 1945. She once was engaged to Tommy Murdock until he was killed at Normandy in 1942. In 1944 she married Garland H. Minor, an American from Texas. They had their first son, Glen J. Minor in 1945 while still in England and later came to America on the Queen Mary. Soon to follow were Curtis M. Minor in 1947 and Frances K. Minor in 1949. She was divorced in 1962. She worked as a bookkeeper and pharmacist assistant. In 1965 she met George L. Prater and they married in 1966 and moved to San Diego, California. They lived in Hawaii and moved back and forth between Oregon and Texas until 2006 when they moved from Fort Worth, Texas to Rogue River, Oregon.

Alice enjoyed ceramics which she poured, fired, and airbrushed. She also enjoyed knitting, gardening, crossword puzzles, and taking photographs especially of parades and her family.

Survivors include her husband, George L. Prater of Rogue River; two children, Curtis M. Minor of Lewisville, Texas and Frances K. Rymer of Rogue River, Oregon; seven grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ethel May and James Smith Burton; a brother, James Arthur Burton and a son, Glen James Minor on August 22, 2010.