William (Bill) Adrian Prather, 91, of Hoopeston, passed away Saturday, October 15, 2022, at home. He was born in Greenfield, IL, on May 6, 1931. William married Dorothy Pruitt on November 4,1956, and she preceded him in death on January 25, 2022. They were married for 65 years and together they raised five children, Mike Wood, Roger (Vickie) Wood, William “Clyde” Prather, Mary (Gale) Free, and Jim (Terri) Prather. They had 12 grandchildren, Danny, Andy, Adam, Nick, Darren, Eric, Tyler, Katy, Katie, Jeni, Kari, and Leah and enjoyed spoiling them and his 8 great grandchildren.
In addition to his wife, Bill was preceded in death by his parents; two sons, Mike and Roger Wood; one son-in-law, Gale Free; two sisters, Marcella and Clydena; and two brothers, Stuart and Larry.
William was a proud Korean War Veteran and worked for 50 years as a union carpenter. He spent most of his time working for Silver Brothers Construction during his career. He was an avid hunter, fisherman, and all-around outdoorsman. His greatest joy came from spending countless hours with his kids while taking them fishing, hunting, mushroom hunting, and spending time at his parent’s farm in Greene County, IL. He loved spending time with his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He loved teaching them anything they wanted to learn and telling them stories from his childhood. He always sent them home with a “Love you, miss you, bye” and a blown kiss.
Bill took pride in being a hard worker and instilled this in his children. He took great pride in his home and yard. He and Dorothy worked hard to have the prettiest flowers in town. Bill would give anyone a friendly wave and was known for his mischievous smile. He will be missed by many.
A graveside service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Wednesday October 19, 2022, at Floral Hill Cemetery in Hoopeston, with Rev. Earl Eells officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be given to IMH Hospice, 200 Laird Lane, Watseka, IL 60970.
Please visit www.anderson-funeral-home.com
