Willie "Bill" Belle Prater

Mrs. Willie Belle “Bill” Prater age 91 of Calhoun, died Friday December 25th. following an illness of six years. Mrs. Prater was born in Gordon County on October 17, 1918 daughter of the late Cleve B. and Gladys V. Phillips Smith and was a lifelong resident of Gordon County.. She was a long time member of the New Echota United Methodist Church where she has served as pianist , sang in the choir and was a Sunday School teacher. She was very active in her community where she was a member of the PTA, the New Echota UMW, the Garden Club and along with her husband Gaines Prater, founder of Prater Ford in Calhoun, was a member of the Red Carpet Cattlemans Association. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband Gaines Olsen Prater and two sisters; Jacqueline Dodd and Muriel Pilcher. Survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law; Jimmy and Judy Prater, Fred and Retha Prater all of Calhoun, two daughters; Jan Williams of Marietta and Joan Barker and her husband John of Kennesaw. eight grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren also survive. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 A.M. Monday December 28th. from the New Echota United Methodist Church with Rev. Ross Tipps and Rev. Keith Willard officiating. Interment will follow in the Chandler Cemetery. Grandsons will serve as pallbearers and an Honorary escort will be her caregivers. The family will receive friends at the Thomas Funeral Home from 4:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. on Sunday Evening. You may sign the online register book or express private condolences at WWW.thomasfuneralhomecalhoun.com. Thomas Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements for Willie Belle Prater.