Herbert Hoover Pratt Sr.

Herbert Hoover Pratt, Sr. died peacefully at Vibra Specialty Hospital after a valiant battle with a long illness, September 8, 2015, at the age of 87. His belief in God, steadfastness of his wife, the prayers of the righteous all supported him in his struggle and ultimately gave him peace.

Hebert H., known by many as “Hoover”, was born on September 1, 1928, in Navasota, Texas, to Lurene and Ella Pratt, where he accepted Christ at an early age. It was evident, that Hoover was a young boy who marched to the beat of his own drum. Although he did not complete higher levels of formal education, was a Rhodes Scholar in the education of life. Hoover joined the United States Army on May 16, 1951 from which he was honorably discharged on April 30, 1953 after sustaining an injury. With that warrior-like spirit, Hoover forged onward, obtaining his Barber’s license with which he opened his first Barbershop in Waxahachie, Texas. Enjoying the feel of entrepreneurship, he moved to Dallas, Texas, where he open a Barbershop/Pool Hall combination while providing a taxi service to women working shift differential at Texas Instruments, and if that was not enough, he secured the landscaping contract at Big Town Mall, a contract he kept for many years. However, Hoover, being a country boy, decided to venture into raising livestock, and there too he was successful.

He is preceded in death by his father, Lurene Pratt; mother, Ella Robinson; and siblings: Shirley Robinson-Jackson, Booker T. Pratt, Frank (Joe) Robinson, Jr., and Floyd Pratt. Herbert H., as he was loving called by his wife, is survived by his wife, Dorothy Jean Pratt; and his children of record: Herbert H. Pratt, Jr., Kevin Pratt (Freda), Marsha Pratt-Phillips (Glenn) and Derrick L. Pratt (Sonya); siblings: Bernice Gillum of Dallas, Texas, Velma Derrough of Dallas, Texas, and Pearl Williams of Garyville, Louisiana; and host of nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.