Maureen B. Pratt

After a long battle with cancer and ALS. Beloved wife of 45 years to Michael J. Pratt, CFA. Loving and devoted mother to Elizabeth (Douglas) Benz, Brendan (Kristin), Colin (Laura), Barbara (Martin) Warunek, Simon, and William (Estefany). Adoring grandmother to Jane, John Paul, Charles, L. Frederick, George, and Marilyn “Bunny” Benz; Caleb, Lyla, Josie, Henry, Sylvia, and Greta Pratt; Sydney, Owen, Theodore, and Cliff Pratt; and Naomi, Clark, and Frances Warunek; daughter of the late Dr. John and Barbara (nee Kelly) Bartels; dear sister of Dr. Edward Kelly (Nadine), Dr. James (Katherine), Dr. Christopher (Amy), Jonathan (Aileen) R.N.,s, Dr. Matthew (Michelle), and the late Brian (Mary Ann) Bartels. Family will be present to receive friends on Friday, March 7 from 4-8PM at the PERNA, DENGLER, ROBERTS FUNERAL HOME 1671 Maple Road. Family and friends are asked to assemble in church to Celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, 9:30AM at St. Benedict's Church followed by Interment at Mt. Olivet Cemetery.

As a young mother, she became a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE) with a mission to teach safe and healthy pregnancy, birth, and early parenting techniques. She practiced for many years out of her father and brother’s OB/GYN office. A longtime volunteer, she spent many hours helping at her children's grade school, Christ the King. As a devout Catholic, she dedicated many of the last 30 years to educating people about the value of unborn human life and spent the past five years helping to coordinate the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel at Christ the King Church. Alongside her husband, she co-chaired several fundraising efforts including GAMBIT at Canisius High School to support financial aid and academic scholarships for students, the Catholic Charities Appeal of 2014 which exceeded its goal by raising over $11 million, and the Catholic Education Dinner GALA 22:6 to help fund tuitions to Catholic grade schools. She further served the Diocese as a Bishop’s Council of the Laity member and on a task force to develop new protocols on how diocesan hierarchy can address and rectify grave wrong doings among its clergy. She was a co-recipient of The Pro-Vita Award from The Diocese of Buffalo in 2007 for exemplary commitment to the Gift of Life, and The Curé of Ars Award from The Diocese of Buffalo in 2021 honoring those whose lives reflect the qualities of Christian dedication and service that marked the life of St. John Vianney. A colon cancer survivor for over 30 years, she developed bladder cancer which was diagnosed in 2023. The prior year she was diagnosed with ALS, which developed from a progressive bulbar disease discovered in 2018. In 2023 she took part in a study which will help with earlier diagnosis of ALS. In lieu of flowers, donations in Maureen’s name may be made to the Mother Teresa Home, the St. Gianna Molla Pregnancy Outreach Center, or Eternal Choice of Love.