Gernelle Prather

Gernelle Colvin Prather, 95, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Thursday, Feb. 10, 2005, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center.

She was born Nov. 19, 1909, in Texarkana, Texas, daughter of Joel and Hattie Murth Colvin. She married T. Robert Prather Dec. 25, 1930, in Texarkana. He died in 1986.

Mrs. Prather was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau, Charter member of PEO Chapter BI, and was a volunteer many years at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

She moved to Cape Girardeau from Columbia, Mo., in 1934. She and her husband owned and operated Standard Hatchery from 1934 to 1954, and then moved to Bloomfield, Mo., and owned and operated Bloomfield Farm Services 10 years. She retired and moved back to Cape Girardeau. She moved to Poplar Bluff in 2003.

Survivors include three daughters, JoAnn Prather Spain and husband James of Poplar Bluff, Judy Coffman of Rock Island, Ill., Jane Wirtle of Santa Fe, N.M.; six grandchildren, Cindy Spain and Melinda Hanaway of Kansas City, Mo., Sam Spain of Poplar Bluff, Jennifer Coffman of Rock Island, Anna and Miles Wirtle of Santa Fe.; two great-grandchildren, Logan and Grant Hanaway.

She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers and four sisters.

Friends may call at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

The funeral will be at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Paul Kabo Jr. officiating. Burial will be in Cape County Memorial Park in Cape Girardeau.