Dolores Ann Pratka

She was born on September 24, 1932 to Julius Andrew Irving and Sunshine Davenport Irving of Monroe, Louisiana. She graduated from Neville High School in Monroe, Louisiana in 1950 and Southwestern Louisiana Institute (SLI) in 1954 (now known as University of Louisiana at Lafayette) in Lafayette, Louisiana, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administrative. She attended the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado the summer of 1953. While at Southwestern she was very active on campus where she was a member of Delta Delta Delta National Social Sorority, elected to serve on Student Council, a member of the Red Jackets Pep Squad, and elected Maid of Honor at the Annual Camellia Pageant her senior year. She attended her Golden Reunion at UL Lafayette in 2004. She was also a member of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).

Dolores had a wealth of experience as a Legal Secretary, having come full circle from her first job out of college as Secretary to the City Judge in West Monroe, Louisiana (1954) to retiring after 17 years with the City Attorney's Office at the City of Houston in May, 2011, at the age of 78. While at the City Attorney's Office she received the Eagle Award in 1998 for outstanding achievements. Her legal experience over the years included Secretary at the Fulbright and Jaworski Firm in the 1960s (Houston); Shotwell, Brown & Sperry Firm in the 1970s (Monroe, Louisiana); Administrative Secretary to the Drilling Manager of Sun Oil Company in Lafayette, Louisiana (1982-1988); and Lead Senior Secretary to the Managing Attorney of the FDIC (Houston) from 1989-1994.

Dolores truly never met a stranger. She loved politics, reading, and she was an avid fan of the Houston Astros and Texans; and one of the biggest fans of the shows Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune.

She is survived by her loving daughter, Dee Ann Pratka.

She was preceded in death by her son, Stephen Andrew Pratka; her former husband, father of her children, Werner Pratka; her brother, Ralph Irving; and her parents, Julius Andrew Irving and Sunshine Davenport Irving; along with her devoted furry felines, Giorgio, Mercury, and Lil' Cole, who were the love of her life.

She will always be remembered by all who had the pleasure of knowing and loving her.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift in Dolores' name to the Houston chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

A Memorial Service will be held at a later date.

AUTHOR UNKNOWN

GOD SAW

GOD SAW THE ROAD WAS GETTING ROUGH,

THE HILL WAS HARD TO CLIMB,

HE GENTLY CLOSED THOSE LOVING EYES,

AND WHISPERED "PEACE BE THINE"