James Michael Pratt

James Pratt, 75, of Ponte Vedra Beach, passed away June 28,2018. He was born in Virginia, and moved to North Carolina whenhe was 10. Jim attended North Carolina State University and graduated from the University of Richmond where he received abachelor's degree in commerce. Later, he completed a three yearcourse of study at the Securities Industry Institute sponsored by the Securities Industry Association at the Wharton School. He also completed a master naturalist program at the University of Florida.

He was married to Mary-Stuart Dent in 1966. Jim worked as a Financial Advisor for Merrill Lynch. He was an active member of the Anglican Church of Our Savior. He obtained the rank of Eagle Scout and received his God and Country Award in the Boy Scouts. He volunteered for Beaches Habitat and Mayo

Clinic. He was a member of the Navy League, Commodore's League and Coast Guard Auxillary. He loved his pets, enjoyednature, boating, and traveling, was an avid college football fan - especially the Florida Gators.

He was most passionate about his family, his friends, and his church. He is survived by his wife of

52 years, Mary-Stuart; children, Holly (James) Behncke, Catherine (Graham) Wilbraham; grandchildren, Michael Behncke, Dylan and Michaela Wilbraham; brothers, Stephen and David; sister Pamela Pratt Kinlaw; sister-in-law, Betsy (Gunnar) Miller, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Memorial Service at 10 am on July 12, 2018 at Anglican Church of Our Savior, 2092

Beach Blvd., Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Inurnment at 1 pm at Oaklawn Cemetery, 4801 San Jose Blvd., Jacksonville.

Arrangements entrusted to HARDAGE-GIDDENS FUNERAL HOME, 1701 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville Beach. In lieu of flowers, please make memorial donations to Church of Our Savior of

Jacksonville Beach, Community Hospice and Palliative Care , or S.A.F.E Pet Rescue of St. Augustine, Florida.

Please Sign the Guestbook @ Jacksonville.com

Jim loved life. As a kid, he loved scouting, hiking and camping on the Appalachian Trail and the beaches of North Carolina. He loved earning his Eagle Scout and God and Country awards. He loved being in college, maybe a little too much, taking 8 Years to graduate. He also loved to party and play pranks, like the time he rerouted traffic from US 301 through the campus of North Carolina Wesleyan College. He also loved hanging out at women’s colleges, sometimes organizing panty raids. He met Mary-Stuart at one of those Colleges, taking her on her first ever snow date to go sledding down Dix’s Hill, where the state mental institution was located. He loved to be with his family both immediate, and extended family in Basset and Virginia Beach, Virginia. He loved to do crazy things with them like the time he emptied a bottle of dish soap in the water of the above the ground pool he and his siblings were playing in, and stirring it up to make tons of bubbles.

Jim loved his job at Merrill Lynch and helping people achieve financial security. He loved his co-workers there as well. He loved all the opportunities working there afforded, being trained on Wall Street., attending classes at Wharton, and traveling the country and beyond.

Jim loved college football, especially the Florida Gators. He especially loved going to the Swamp with his friends to watch them play. He loved to read and learn new things, and going to Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) classes at UNF. He loved nature, especially being in it. He loved boating on the St. John’s river, and up and down the Intercoastal Waterway. He loved his boating friends and working on his boats. He loved his pets, from his childhood pets Flopsy and Mopsy, to his 3 Shih Tzus, Panda, Susie ,and Max. He loved studying nature and becoming a Florida Master Naturalist. He loved helping people and volunteering at Mayo Clinic and Beaches Habitat.

Jim loved to eat. He loved barbecue, blooming onions, corn on the cob, and fried shrimp. He loved bread of all kinds, Diet Coke,cookies, pies and ice cream. He especially loved M&Ms. He loved to say funny things like “ top of the morning to you “ and “other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?”

Jim loved our country and the military. He loved serving in the Air Force ROTC and volunteering for the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the Navy League. He loved his birth state of Virginia and was so proud of its history and heritage. He loved archeology and even participated in a dig or two in Virginia .

Jim loved his new church home here at Church of Our Savior and Father David. He loved his friends he had here, both men and women. He loved going for rides with his buddies after the doctor said he couldn’t drive anymore, especially visiting this site while our church was under construction.

And this last year, he came to love the staff of Arbor Terrace Ponte Vedra, because he knew he was loved and cared for by them.

Jim faithfully loved his wife, Mary-Stuart, for over 52 years. He loved his daughters Holly and Cissy. He loved telling people how proud he was of Holly riding polo ponies, and Cissy running triathlons. He so loved his grandkids, Michael, Dylan, and Michaela and just being with them. He wanted to teach them all about what he loved. He loved his sons-in-laws, James and Graham and telling them jokes. He loved his brothers Steve and David and his sister Pam, his aunts, uncles and cousins, and his parents, of course. He loved Mary-Stuart’s family too, just as much. Sadly dementia robbed him, of the ability to show that love.

Above all, Jim loved his Heavenly Father and his Lord Jesus Christ. He loved learning about God and loved those who taught him. And I guarantee you that he loved everyone of you gathered here. He showed his love through his smile, his jokes, hopefully making you smile, bringing joy into your life. Because, he loved to laugh. So he hopes you will not be sad, as he is free from the disease that robbed his mind and body; and is with the God he loves and his loved ones who have gone before him. He would want you to laugh at funny stories you remember about him. And he would want you to love too, especially the God he came to know.