Laura Mae Prather

She was born November 18, 1935 to Fred Raymond and Mary Olive (Work) Hill in Spring Hill, Iowa with both of whom she jointly shared a birthday. She was the second of four children.

Mae was raised in this small, central Iowa town and graduated from high school in 1953. From there she attended and graduated from Iowa Methodist Nursing School in Des Moines, Iowa. Intending to save the world, Mae and a good friend traveled to Colorado. However, with the tugs of love on her heart, she returned to Iowa and to the man she had previously met. In 1956 Mae married Bill Prather who she affectionately called William T.

After marriage the couple made their home Lincoln, Nebraska where they lived for a number of years with the interruption of a one year move to Seattle, Washington. Subsequently, they moved to Sioux City, Iowa. Always the nurturer, Mae was not only an RN and wife but was also a mother and homemaker. Eventually, after their children were grown, married and moved or moved and married whichever order they chose, Mae and Bill found themselves empty nesters with less ties to Sioux City and more ties to Arizona. Needing to be a part of their grandchildren's lives, the couple settled in Gilbert, Arizona 22 years ago.

Mae's last professional position was that of a school nurse. She truly enjoyed impacting the lives of many young adults. After the completion of a successful career, she welcomed retirement and the freedom to enjoy the many interests that she had. Most importantly, Mae loved spending time with her family. She cherished going to her grandchildren's events, whether it be sports or the other numerous activities, and just generally held dear being an intricate part of their lives. She was an avid baseball fan and, of course, loved the Diamond Backs as well as the Cubs. Mae worked crossword puzzles like a word wizard, played cards like she would win a million dollars, and was such a voracious reader that one would think that she would need an encyclopedia sized list to keep track of what she had devoured.

Laura Mae is survived by her husband, William Thomas Prather; son, Gregory Prather (Lesa); daughter, Angela Chomokos (Nonda); grandson, Adam Prather (Jessica); granddaughter Chrissy Gomez (Justin); grandson, Daniel Prather (Gina); granddaughter Laura Chomokos and her fiance Ryan McGhee; grandson, Stas Chomokos (Gillian); great grandchildren, Audrey and Lincoln Prather and Avery Mae Gomez, all of whom are from Arizona; plus sister, Patricia Gerdes (Larry); brother Fred Raymond Hill, Jr. (Deb); siblings both from Iowa; and numerous nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents and sister, Mary (Hill) Stanley VanBruggen.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, July 6, 2016 at 9:00 A.M. at Mariposa Gardens Memorial Park and Funeral Care, 6747 E. Broadway, Mesa, AZ 85206.

A graveside service will be held at the Thurman, Iowa cemetery on Friday, July 8, 2016 at 10:30 A.M.

Remembrances may be made to your local Humane Society.