Marjorie Pratt Obituary

MARJORIE M. PRATT
February 4, 1922 ~ December 13, 2011

Soon after declaring, "Oh, it's a beautiful day," and with family at her side, Marjorie Pratt passed away peacefully on a sunny Dec. 13, 2011 of heart failure at the age of 89 in Vancouver, WA. Marjorie, an only child, was born at home in Ogema, MN on Feb. 4, 1922 to Bill and Anna Davis and graduated from Waubun High School in 1939 as the class valedictorian.
Marjorie later attended Normal Teachers School in East Grand Forks, MN and taught for three years in rural one room school houses in Becker County, MN.
In 1943 she moved to Portland, OR to work at the Swan Island Kaiser shipyards in support of the WW II effort. It was here that Marjorie met and eventually married a handsome widower and crane operator, Ray Pratt, in 1944.
After the war, the two of them and their infant daughter, Gwen, moved to numerous locations throughout the western U.S. while Ray worked at a number of large construction sites. In 1955, they settled down in Martinez, CA, then in 1973, Pleasant Hill, CA where Marjorie enjoyed her many years as a library assistant with the Contra Costa County Library system.
Always on the move during their 48 years together, Marjorie and Ray visited over 100 countries in their travels and were avid RV adventurers, making many friends at RV resorts around America.
After Ray passed away in 1992, Marjorie moved to Vancouver, WA in 1995 and continued to travel to many countries and around the U.S. with good friends.
Marjorie is survived by her daughter, Gwen Edwards (Doug) of Vancouver, WA; step-children, Helen Force of Tacoma, WA, Ernest Pratt (Janice) of Portland, OR, Francis Helmold (Richard) of Burley, ID, Marvel Keen of Roseville, CA and Shirley Rasmussen (Elmer) of Portland, OR. Marjorie took great pride and joy in over 100 grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren from her marriage to Ray.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and her good friend and traveling companion, Bill Winkelman.
Special thanks to Magdalena Tarcus for her loving and personal care.
At Marjorie's request there was no service. Her remains will be interred next to her husband and parents at Oakmont Memorial Park, Lafayette, CA.
If you would like to make a donation in her memory, Marjorie asked that it go to the Southwest Washington Humane Society (southwesthumane.org).
Please sign Marjorie's guest book at: www.columbian.com/obits.