Calvin "Cal" Dean Prater

Calvin "Cal" Dean Prater August 17th 1934 - February 28th, 2021 Wenatchee, Washington On Sunday, February 28th, 2021, Calvin "Cal" Dean Prater, loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, passed away peacefully at the age of 86 years old. Cal was born on August 17th, 1934 to Dean and Martha Prater in Mitchell, South Dakota. He migrated with his parents to Washington State in 1936. In August of 1955, he married the love of his life, his high school sweetheart, Amedee Rondeau. They were married over 65 years, have five children, nine grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren. He was an outstanding athlete and played college football at Everett Junior College. His love for sports kept him involved as either a coach, an enthusiastic fan in the stands for his children, or later in life, as a player on a community slow-pitch team. You may have even caught, "Big C", as his friends called him, around a pool table boldly challenging anyone willing to step up and play. Cal was also an outdoor enthusiast by nature. He loved hunting, fishing, hiking, and camping with his family. Anything to do with the mountains, lakes and wilderness brought him joy which he passed on to his five children. He taught all nine of his grandchildren to fish which continues to foster a legacy of loving and respecting nature. His appreciation of the great outdoors led him to pursue a career in forestry. Graduating from the University of Washington in 1959, Cal spent nearly 40 years as a forester in Washington, Arkansas and North Carolina with companies such as Weyerhaeuser, WI Forest Products, and Barbee Lumber Mill. Whether involved with logging, road building, reforestation, or woods management, Cal was admired and respected by those who worked with him and for him. The respect was mutual as he expressed great appreciation for those hard-working loggers who made it all happen. A generous man who was always willing to help others even at his own expense, Cal modeled to his family how to work hard, live large, and love deeply. His pride in and love for his family often brought him to tears which he would quickly wipe away with a big red handkerchief. He delighted in spending time with his family; could laugh until he cried, and cry until he laughed. His great grandchildren found safety snuggled in his strong arms and found butterscotch candy in his pockets. He will be greatly missed. Cal is survived by his wife of almost 66 years, L. Amedee Prater, their daughter Leslie Moore (CD), and sons, Mark (Jennifer), Neal (Donna), Reed (Carrie), and Matt (Angela), as well as their nine grandchildren, Amedee Ryan, Austin, Ashley, Adam, AJ, Afton, Logan, Lauren, and Jacob, and their eight great grandchildren. He is also survived by his younger brother Glen Prater (Pearl). To honor his wishes, no services will be held at this time. The family would like to thank the staff at Colonial Vista for the compassionate care over the last 4 years and all of those who have sent their well wishes.

Calvin "Cal" Dean Prater

August 17, 1934 - February 28, 2021