James (Jim) Raymond Pratt

January 7, 1943 - September 13, 2021

Beloved husband of Elaine (Kesselring) Pratt for 59 years. Father of Jim (JenJen) Pratt, Janice (Steve) Downes, Jeff (Wendy Gray) Pratt, Jolene Pratt, Grandfather of Brittnie (Steven) Prody, Jeffrey Pratt, Jeseca Downes, Jenna Downes, Kasey Goslik, Lynsey (Colton Rackley) Goslik, Baby Jane Pratt, Great Grandfather of Elaina Prody, Alivia Prody and Juniper Rackley.  Son of the late Julius James Pratt and Cora Celest (Brockman) Pratt, brother of the late Gene Pratt & Gerald Pratt. He was also a loyal cousin, brother-in-law, uncle and friend to many.

He worked at Carter Carburetor in his early years, and then spent 20 more years working at McDonnell Douglas/Boeing, where he retired in 2000. After retirement, he went back to school to learn HVAC at Vatterott College in Ladue, and graduated with a 99.9% over all the young kids in his class. (He even taught the teacher a thing or two while he was there.)  He also attended St. Robert Bellarmine Church in St. Charles.

Jim met his wife Elaine in 1959 when they were just 16 years old at a girls softball game at the Creve Coeur softball field. He was there to watch the game, and spotted her as soon as she walked in.  The first time he saw her he told his friend, "See that little gal in the Bermuda shorts, white sleeveless shirt, black & white shoes and bobby socks? Someday she's gonna be mine."  He asked people who knew her where he could find her again, and then tracked her down at the CYC Teen Town at St. Monica's, where the records were playing and he asked her to dance. Afterwards they exchanged numbers and were together ever since.  How special it is, that their love story all started on the parking lot of St. Monica's, and here we are again at St. Monica's where they chose to be together forever.

Jim loved to tell endless turkey and deer hunting stories and also loved to talk about and collect classic cars, especially Studebakers. He loved to cook, was creative in the kitchen and never used a recipe. He could also fix anything, from the tiniest piece of jewelry, small appliances, large appliances and anything in between. There was literally nothing he couldn't fix. He also had the most beautiful, indescribable ice blue eyes. No matter where he went, someone would comment about his eyes.

He was the rock of our family and influenced everyone with his strength, integrity, old school values and hard work ethic. He was the proud father of 4 strong children, 7 grandchildren and 3 great granddaughters and was greatly loved by all. He was a natural teacher and mentor, and loved to share his knowledge and experiences. He loved gardening and nature and instilled his love of the outdoors and appreciation of the simple things with all of us. He was a constant, selfless provider, with a huge heart, always reaching out to take care of everyone, friends, family, neighbors, even stopping to help strangers on the side of the road. Anytime you saw him he would send you home with a box full of vegetables from his garden, venison or flowers, whatever was in season, and often times random gloves, hats, boots, or anything he thought somebody could use saying, "Here, see if this might fit somebody."

Jim & Elaine went everywhere together. Usually if you saw one, you saw the other, even just to go fill up the gas, he'd often say, "Why don't you just ride along?" They celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary and renewed their vows with friends & family at a large reception with an old time 50's Rock & Roll Band, and of course he couldn't wait for Elaine to change into her black & white shoes and bobby socks so they could hit the floor and dance. In all of their 59 years together, Jim never missed a day of telling Elaine that he loved her, and he would always say that he would never ever want to live one single day without her. Every night before bed he would say to her, "Goodnight Elaine… I love you."

They loved to go car cruising and attend car shows in their classic cars, and they also loved to dance. Jim even remembered a time at an 8th grade school dance he was told by his teacher "James, sit down, you're getting much too hot!" They were known as The Dancers throughout St. Charles & St. Louis County. Strangers would often approach them to say, "We know you, you're The Dancers!" as they remembered seeing them dance at various car shows, dances, and occasionally even in a parking lot, just like the very first time they met when he asked her to dance. From that day on they've been happily dancing together through 59 years full of love.

*The family welcomes any photos or stories you would like to share.

Visitation: 3-7p Sunday, September 19 at Ortmann Stipanovich Funeral Home, 1244 Olive Blvd., Creve Coeur. Funeral Mass: 11a Monday, September 20 at St. Monica Catholic Church, 12140 Olive Blvd., Creve Coeur, with visitation 1 hour prior to Mass. Interment at St. Monica Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Sts. Joachim & Ann Care Center, St. Charles www.jacares.org .