Robert Allen Pratt

Robert was born and raised in San Angelo, Texas. He and Ann Albro married in San Angelo in 1959 and moved to Freeport where Robert worked for Dow Chemical. They soon moved to Austin for Robert to complete his degree in engineering at The University of Texas. The family also lived in Houston, San Angelo, and La Mirada and Anaheim, California, before moving in 1975 to Saudi Arabia. Robert and Ann bought a home in Austin during the time they lived in Saudi Arabia, and the children made Austin their home. At the same time, they owned a coffee shop with locations in Highland Mall and Northcross Mall, and many children and grandchildren worked together in those stores.

Robert spent his career as a chemical engineer executive, working all over the world, including a 19 year assignment in Saudi Arabia. He and Ann traveled the world before retiring to the Davis Mountains in Texas where they made their home, living in the house they designed and constructed on the side of Mount Arabella, near the McDonald Observatory.

Robert was an intelligent, grace-filled, playful, loving, down-to-earth husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, a reader of mid-century mystics and higher mathematics, a wearer of big west Texas belt buckles and Birkenstocks, an eater of tofu and kimchi back when that was just a "California" thing, and a man with an easy smile and deep respect for every person he encountered. He and Ann volunteered for Meals on Wheels and the Food Bank in Fort Davis, and provided lunches for high school students for Tuesday School, a church ministry. They were involved in their local churches throughout their lives, teaching Sunday School, leading Children’s Church, and working in prison ministries as well as other ministries. Their homes were always full of friends and family.

Robert was a student throughout his life, with wide-ranging interests and engaged in hobbies such as gardening, computing, astronomy, genealogy, and New Testament Greek. In the 1970s, he built himself one of the first available home computers: all toggle switches and lights. His love of computers continued throughout his life.

Robert could often be found with a dog in his lap, or a child in his arms. He was affectionate, generous, and loving.

To the end, even with advanced dementia, he knew his family and loved them well, and remained grateful for the care he received.

He is survived by a large family, including his wife, Ann Albro Pratt, and his children, Beth (Jim) Pickens, Cathy (James) Nelson, Roberta (Randy) Brown, Mary (Sid Hall) Pratt, and Travis (Inge) Pratt; grandchildren are Jamie (Allen) Gallia, Ashley Kamrath, Rachael (Eric) Felan, Jessica (Gabe) Van Amburgh, Alexandra Nelson, Rebecca (Jason) Grace, Merrill (Laurel) Eng, Jennifer Cannon, Nicole (David) Rodriguez, Rachel (Evan) Xydes, David Hall, Daniel (Dylana) Hobbs, Angela Hobbs, Lauran (Ralph) Chieffo, Chris Pratt, Natalie (Daniel) Bondarchuk, Ryan Pratt; and his great-grandchildren, Emily, Ty, Calleigh, Jake, Fiona, Georgiana, Luke, Lily, Wilder, Evienne, Gideon, Milo, Rowena, Elowen, Leo, Piper, Calvin, and Felix.

Robert was preceded in death by his daughter, Karen Saylor, his parents, Walter Thomas and Matta Mae Pratt, and his sister, Joan Wall.

A memorial service will be held at Trinity Church of Austin, 4001 Speedway, Austin, TX 78751 on Saturday, December 28, 2019 at 10 am.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Jeff Davis County Food Pantry, PO Box 244, Fort Davis, TX 79734 or on-line http://www.foodpantry-jdc.org