Kathleen And Robert "Bob" Pratt

Kathleen Anna Poole was born to James and Ruth Poole on March 28, 1926, in Alpine, Oregon. When Kay was a toddler, the family moved to Mill City and eventually grew to include 4 sons and 2 daughters. She graduated from Mill City High School in 1944. She was working as a stenographer in the Oregon State Engineer's office when she married Jim C. Story on March 23, 1946. They had three children, Christine, Kathleen, and James, and had been married for six years when Kay's husband Jim was killed in a logging accident in July of 1952.

As a young widow with children, Kathleen worked several jobs, including at the cannery, the bakery, and substituting at the local US Post Office. She had the support of her family living locally. Kay met Bob Pratt, fell in love again, and was married on September 5,1959 in Mill City. Their daughters Margaret and Sharon were born in 1960 and 1963.

Kay and Bob would attend and be active in the Mill City First Christian Church until they were no longer able to attend at an advanced age. Kay was a longtime member of the Round Robin Pinochle Club. She was an exceptional seamstress, sewing many clothes for her four daughters, including school clothes, special occasion dresses, and one gorgeous wedding gown for daughter Margaret. She eventually went to work for Kimmel Insurance, which first became Pittam Insurance. and finally Uffleman Insurance.

After retiring, Kay discovered an interest in quilting. Her beautiful work won her a pair of blue ribbons in the quilt judging at the Oregon State Fair, where she also enjoyed giving demonstrations of the craft, as an active member of the North Santiam Quilters. Kay was a sports fan and tried to never miss watching a Beaver or Duck game. In her later years, she enjoyed watching the New York Yankees featuring her favorite player, Aaron Judge. Bob and Kay were active participants in the lives of their children and grandchildren, attending many ballgames, programs, and graduations.

At the age of 96, Kathleen passed away on February 21, 2023 in her home surrounded by her daughters and a granddaughter. Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Jim C. Story, three of her four brothers, her husband Robert Pratt, and her son, James E. Story. She is survived by her daughters, Christine, Kathleen, Margaret and Sharon; fifteen grandchildren; twenty-four great grandchildren; her brother Jim Poole and sister Delores Corbett.

Robert "Bob" William Pratt was born to Goldie Yates Pratt and John Pratt on August 3, 1929, in Creston, Iowa. In 1935, the family moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa, remaining there until relocating to Almena, Kansas in 1940. Keeping the children fed during the Depression was difficult for many, including Goldie. Young Bob was not fond of the oatmeal that he would tell his own children he had eaten cooked in every imaginable way (boiled, baked, fried, etc.) during those Depression years.

When the U.S. became involved in World War II, a very tall, but much too young, Bob Pratt tried to enlist in the U.S. Army. His first attempt was foiled by his mother. His second attempt was successful and he served as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne in Italy.

In 1950 Bob came to the Santiam Canyon, where he would remain for the rest of his life, when construction workers were needed to build the Detroit Dam. He settled in Mill City and worked for Simpson Plywood in Lyons. Bob made many friends in the area and became an officer in the local American Legion post. He enjoyed the bachelor life for several years and took many of his meals at the local café.

Bob would later tell family members that the first time he saw Kathleen, he said that was the woman he was going to marry. He met the young widow with three children at Muir's Bakery, where she was working. True to his expectation, Bob and Kathleen were married on September 5, 1959, in the Mill City First Christian Church. Life was not easy with three children who were not used to having a father, but he loved his wife and grew to love her children. And they grew to love him.

After a time, Bob joined the First Christian Church, becoming a Deacon and then an Elder in the church and doing much volunteer work. The family grew with the birth of Margaret in 1960 and Sharon in 1963.

In the mid-1960s Simpson Plywood closed its doors and Bob became a forklift driver for Cedar Lumber in Lyons where he remained after it was sold to Freres Lumber Co. He continued at Freres until his retirement. After Bob's retirement he became an OSU Master Gardener. He loved giving gardening advice at the Oregon State Fair, as well as working in his own yard and garden. Ken Follet was a favorite author of the avid reader. Other pastimes included listening to music, watching old movies, as well as cheering for the Oregon Ducks and against the Dallas Cowboys.

Bob passed away on March 21, 2016, at the age of 86. He was preceded in death by his mother, father, and sister. He was survived by his wife Kathleen; his two brothers; his children: Chris Sherren, Kathleen McCurdy, Jim Story, Margaret DeMoss, Sharon Martinson; fifteen grandchildren; and fourteen great grandchildren.