Norman E. Prather, of Houston, Texas, passed away Saturday, July 21, 2012.  There will be a Family Visitation on Saturday, July 28, 2012, at the Fry-Gibbs Funeral Home in Paris, Texas, from 10:00-11:30 am. 

Norman was born August 23, 1932, in Denison, Texas, the son of Don and Geraldine (Babcock) Prather.  Norman attended Elementary School at Central Ward Elementary School in Denison.  Norman said, “To paraphrase on old bumper sticker, I didn’t start out in Greenville, but I got there as soon as I could. “  Norman attended Greenville Junior High and graduated from Greenville High School.  Norman was a member of the Student Council and the High School Band.  He was also Vice President of the English Club and a member of the Physics Club.  Norman was winner of the Band Award in 1949, presented by J.H. Flewharty.  No doubt Norman’s favorite class was Band.  His favorite after-school activity was making all the trips with the Band and Flashes.

Norman attended and received a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from East Texas State Teachers College in 1953.  Norman participated in the AFROTC program in college and was awarded a commission in the U.S. Air Force upon graduation.   Norman requested and received a delay from active duty to work on a Master of Science Degree.  While working on his Master Degree, he met and married Sally Moody in 1955.   He received his Master of Science Degree in 1956 and then reported for active duty in the Air Force.  He was sent to Korea.   Upon his return to the U.S., with less than six months left to serve, he was released from active duty.  He remained in the Air Force Reserve for several years and upon completion of his military commitment he was a Captain.   Following his release from active duty in 1957, he went to work as Credit Sales Supervisor with Babcock Bros. Home and Auto Supply Co. 

After ten years with Babcock Brothers, he decided to get back into chemistry; however, he needed to review and become current with advances in chemistry while he was out of the field.  In 1967, at the tender age of 35, married, with two children, he quit his job and enrolled at Austin College in Sherman.  A year later he moved to Austin where he began work toward a PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Texas.  He received his PhD in 1974, but remained at the University where he worked on a post-doctoral project.

In 1975, he moved to Houston where he was accepted to work in the Basic Research Section at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.  He remained at M.D. Anderson in the Molecular Genetics Department until he took early retirement in 1991.

Except for his brief military tour in Korea, he had always lived in Texas.   He had lived in Greenville, Commerce, Denison, Austin and Houston.  Norman’s pastimes and hobbies included traveling, puttering with computers (particularly programming), woodworking and coin collecting.  He also dabbled in sculpting and painting.  His puns and his sense of humor will always be remembered.

He was preceded in death by his wife Sarah (Sally) Moody Prather of 41 years.  He is survived by his son, Floyd Prather and wife Mary Glenn of Midland, Texas and his daughter Debra Prather Davis and her husband Dan of Fort Peck, Montana.  His granddaughter Amanda Ashley and husband Robert and their three children, Aiden, Kieran and Rowan.  Granddaughter Jennifer Rucco and her husband Michael and their children Cheylynne, Harmony and Autumn.  His grandson Harrison Glenn Prather and his granddaughter Alexandra Glenn Prather.  To his grandchildren he will always be remembered as “Goodun”.

The family requests memorials to be directed to MD Anderson Cancer Center.