Lesley Prather

Lesley Earl "Bus" Prather, 97, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, at Heartland Care and Rehab.

He was born Oct. 27, 1919, in Gale, Illinois, to Ernest I. and Eliza (Jackson) Prather.

He and Mary Thompson were married in Reno, Nevada, and she preceded him in death.

Bus worked in the shipyard in Vancouver, Washington, during World War II and later worked for the Granite City Steel Mill for 30 years. After his retirement, he moved to Olive Branch, Illinois.

Survivors include his sister, Patricia Mathis of Cape Girardeau; sister-in-law, Barbara Prather of Gale, Illinois; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Mary Prather; sisters, Virginia Tupper and Wanda Parmer; seven brothers, William, Claude, Paul, Loren, Robert, Wayne and Danny Prather; and special friend, Pearl Harvalle.

Friends may call from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday at Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

Funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Jimmie Monahan officiating. Burial will be at Rose Hill Cemetery in Thebes, Illinois.

Memorial contributions may be given to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Online condolences may be made at fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.