Obituary for Anise Whitaker Prater
Anise Whitaker Prater 1/2/1925 – 11/14/2022
Anise W. Prater was born on January 2, 1925 in Lake Mary, Florida. She was the 6th of seven children born to Albert and Clara Whitaker. She is the longest surviving of her siblings John, Charlie, Albert and Ross Whitaker and Mary Harris and Clara Belle (Smith) Hamilton.
She was a graduate of Sanford High School. Her family moved to
Palatka several years after her graduation where she was employed at Camp Blanding. She met her soon to be husband, James T. Prater, at the First Baptist
Church in Palatka where they were married on April 10, 1946. They
subsequently moved to Tampa where James began his career with the Florida Highway Patrol. They returned to Palatka in 1960 for James to become the Captain of Troop G of the Highway Patrol. Anise began working at the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services in the 60’s where she made many close friends who have continued to visit and keep in touch up until her death.
Anise and Peter moved to Tallahassee in 1999 where she lived next door to her daughter and with her two sons.
The thing she cared most about was her family. They enjoyed large gatherings for any and all occasions! Along with her four children there were a total of 22 first cousins on her side and three on James. She also loved to spend time at nearby Crescent Beach which included sitting with her siblings and watching the cousins play all day in the water. She also enjoyed the mountains and she and her family would make frequent trips to Lexington, Kentucky to visit with James’ family.
She was equally as passionate about advocating for people with Developmental Disabilities as her youngest child, Peter, was born with Down Syndrome. She was instrumental in working with other parents to establish the Arc of Putnam County.
Anise is preceded in death by her parents and siblings, her husband James, daughter Mary Prater Patzke (Wally) and son, Peter Guy Prater. She is survived by her children James L. Prater and Susan Prater DeBeaugrine (Jim) of Tallahassee, grandchildren Beth Gibson of Jacksonville (Donnie), Taylor Prater Melcher of Tampa (Dylan), Marlo Prater Jones (Trey), Jacksonville Beach, Evans Prater of Asheville and Cassie Prater DeBeaugrine of Tallahassee as well as her great grandchildren.
A viewing will be held at 1:30 p.m. at Johnson-Overturf Funeral Home followed by a graveside service at Palatka Memorial Gardens on December 3rd. at 2:30 p.m. Reverend Vernon Harkey officiating. Anise was an avid FSU Seminole fan, and the family is asking attendees to wear their school spirit colors. The surviving children feel that Anise, Jim, Mary, Peter and Bobby Bowden may have had some pull in the win last Friday over, “that other team.”
In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made to The Arc of Putnam County, 1209 Westover Drive, Palatka 32177 or Big Bend Hospice, 1723 Mahan Center Blvd., Tallahassee 32308.
Memories and condolences may be expressed to the family at Anise’s Book of Memories page at www.johnsonoverturffunerals.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to Johnson-Overturf Funeral Home in Palatka.
Anise W. Prater was born on January 2, 1925 in Lake Mary, Florida. She was the 6th of seven children born to Albert and Clara Whitaker. She is the longest surviving of her siblings John, Charlie, Albert and Ross Whitaker and Mary Harris and Clara Belle (Smith) Hamilton.
She was a graduate of Sanford High School. Her family moved to
Palatka several years after her graduation where she was employed at Camp Blanding. She met her soon to be husband, James T. Prater, at the First Baptist
Church in Palatka where they were married on April 10, 1946. They
subsequently moved to Tampa where James began his career with the Florida Highway Patrol. They returned to Palatka in 1960 for James to become the Captain of Troop G of the Highway Patrol. Anise began working at the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services in the 60’s where she made many close friends who have continued to visit and keep in touch up until her death.
Anise and Peter moved to Tallahassee in 1999 where she lived next door to her daughter and with her two sons.
The thing she cared most about was her family. They enjoyed large gatherings for any and all occasions! Along with her four children there were a total of 22 first cousins on her side and three on James. She also loved to spend time at nearby Crescent Beach which included sitting with her siblings and watching the cousins play all day in the water. She also enjoyed the mountains and she and her family would make frequent trips to Lexington, Kentucky to visit with James’ family.
She was equally as passionate about advocating for people with Developmental Disabilities as her youngest child, Peter, was born with Down Syndrome. She was instrumental in working with other parents to establish the Arc of Putnam County.
Anise is preceded in death by her parents and siblings, her husband James, daughter Mary Prater Patzke (Wally) and son, Peter Guy Prater. She is survived by her children James L. Prater and Susan Prater DeBeaugrine (Jim) of Tallahassee, grandchildren Beth Gibson of Jacksonville (Donnie), Taylor Prater Melcher of Tampa (Dylan), Marlo Prater Jones (Trey), Jacksonville Beach, Evans Prater of Asheville and Cassie Prater DeBeaugrine of Tallahassee as well as her great grandchildren.
A viewing will be held at 1:30 p.m. at Johnson-Overturf Funeral Home followed by a graveside service at Palatka Memorial Gardens on December 3rd. at 2:30 p.m. Reverend Vernon Harkey officiating. Anise was an avid FSU Seminole fan, and the family is asking attendees to wear their school spirit colors. The surviving children feel that Anise, Jim, Mary, Peter and Bobby Bowden may have had some pull in the win last Friday over, “that other team.”
In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made to The Arc of Putnam County, 1209 Westover Drive, Palatka 32177 or Big Bend Hospice, 1723 Mahan Center Blvd., Tallahassee 32308.
Memories and condolences may be expressed to the family at Anise’s Book of Memories page at www.johnsonoverturffunerals.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to Johnson-Overturf Funeral Home in Palatka.