Robert “Bob” Prater
Robert (Bob) Prater, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and honorable veteran of the United States Navy passed on June 26, 2024, days away from his 87th birthday.
Born to Robert and Susie Prater, Bob was the second eldest of nine siblings. The family briefly lived in Turlock, California before moving to McAlester, Oklahoma. Bob had many jobs growing up, and in his elder years he often reminded young people that he, as a boy, picked cotton
for ten cents a day. At the young age of seventeen Bob left Oklahoma and enlisted in the Navy. He was eager to join and in fact tried to enlist a year earlier but the Navy asked him to return the following year.
His career in the Navy lasted 20 years and led him across the seas. Bob served three tours in the Vietnam War and retired as a Chief Petty Officer. After he retired from the Navy, Bob worked for the Department of Defense for another 20 years, where he settled in with his family in Campbell, California and worked at Moffet Field naval air station.
Bob was good with his hands and a fixer, always repairing his own vehicles and building a 2nd floor master suite on his house. A Renaissance Man, he was also an accomplished cook, making all the Thanksgiving meals for his family and extra turkeys for the potluck at Moffet
Field. He was also known for his biscuits and gravy, fried okra and apple pie.
An avid outdoorsman, he loved to camp, hunt, shoot, and ski. He would do just about anything to be in the Eastern Sierras. His favorite sounds were the wind as it passes through the leaves of aspen trees and the trickling creek at his favorite spot at “Hunting Camp”. He was often
found near a campfire enjoying his favorite cigar. He would deny the following fact, but he had a nice singing voice, and always enjoyed singing along to his favorite country song.
In 1986 Bob met his wife, Sue. Good friends set the two up on a blind date and six months after meeting they were married. They lived together in Campbell California, and in Orange County California before retiring to Carson City. Together they enjoyed camping, spending time with friends and spending the day at Lake Tahoe. Bob served two terms as President of the Carson City Navy League.
Bob will be missed by his wife, Sue Prater and his children, Deborah Karr, Bobbie Prater, Robert Prater and wife Resty, Lily Gaumont and husband Rob, and Tina Prater. Bob is also survived by his siblings, Linda Carol Green, Patricia Oral Koester, Lillie Faye Nelson and
Nellie May Craig and grandchildren, Natalie Karr Coley, Benjamin Karr, Robert Prater, and Hazel Gaumont.
Robert was preceded in death by his parents Robert B. Prater and Susie Prater, brother William Jerry Prater and sisters Lelia Anne Woods, Clara Esther Holt and Bonnie Sue Allen.
Robert was laid to rest on August 2nd, 2024, at Northern Nevada Veteran Memorial Cemetery in Fernley, Nevada.