Dru Ella Pratt passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 23, 2025, in the comfort of her home. She was born on February 12, 1935, in Hulbert, Oklahoma, and attended Eufaula Boarding School before graduating with honors from Chilocco Indian School.
After high school, she joined the United States Navy and completed Teleman Class-A Communication School. She later worked as a dietitian in local public schools and for Indian Health Service, then served as a dorm matron at Sequoyah Indian Boarding School in the 1970s.
Dru Ella became a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and went on to teach nurse aide classes for Oklahoma State University, helping prepare others to enter the healthcare field.
A fluent Cherokee speaker, she was proud of her language and culture. She was a skilled beader and crafter, creating and selling her handmade work at powwows and community events. She enjoyed fishing, especially deep-sea trips, and fondly remembered catching catfish, halibut, and cod as one of her favorite pastimes. In March 2024, Dru Ella participated in the Cherokee Nation Warrior Flight — an experience she was proud to be part of, representing her tribe and country as a fluent Cherokee-speaking veteran.
Dru Ella is preceded in death by her parents, Cornelius and Lillie (Suake) Welch; her sisters, Bertha "Mae" Charles, Nellie (Welch) Sunday, and Geneva (Welch) Dirteater; her son, Edward Pratt; and her great-granddaughter, Nadia Drywater.
She is survived by her children: Lillian Pratt of Tahlequah, OK; Rachel Nixon of Claremore, OK; Vernon Pratt and Wynn Pratt, both of Claremore, OK; and Barclay Pratt of Tulsa, OK. She also leaves behind sixteen grandchildren, fifteen great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.
A visitation for Dru Ella will be held on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Reed-Culver Funeral Home, 117 West Delaware Street, Tahlequah,Oklahoma. Funeral services will follow on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 12:00 PM, also at Reed-Culver Funeral Home. Dru will be laid to rest at Fort Gibson National Cemetery.
