A family well loved
A mission accomplished
William Abbett Pratt came into this world April 30, 1928 to join his parents William Henry Pratt and Helen Ione Abbett in Los Angeles, CA.
He spent his childhood in Minnesota, and graduated from High School in Freemont, NE in 1946. After a stint in the Navy serving in Subic Bay from 1946 – 1948, he chose to come to the University of Nebraska to pursue his MD Degree from. Along the way he met Sherrill von Bergen who was on the same pathway. He convinced her to marry him in 1954 in Lincoln, NE and together with their baby Robert William (1955-1983) and the cat, Ting Poo, they drove cross country to Spokane for his Internship at Deaconess Hospital. Falling in love with this beautiful world in the Pacific Northwest, they opened their Medical Practice in Opportunity. Dr. Bill took care of the big people, Dr. Sherrill took care of the little people and they shared the ones in between. During that time, babies Ann Sherrill (1958) and Thomas Arthur (1961) had joined the family.
From 1964-1966 they lived in Seattle while Dr. Bill completed his residency in Anesthesiology at Swedish Hospital. As soon as possible they returned to Opportunity where he joined the Physician’s Anesthesiology Group until his retirement in 1987.
Bill was an avid hunter and fisherman and found his niche in the fields and lakes and streams of this part of the world. There was a cabin on the river, traveling America in a motor home, a boat on the Northwest Waterways, and trips to the “warm” in Hawaii during winter months. He added a service with the Juvenile Court in the Diversion Program, was a docent at the local Fish Hatchery, was the football team physician at Freeman High School, and delivered Meals on Wheels.
Building a home on Mica Peak with fish in the pond, bees in a hive, and bears in the woods was a dream come true for 25 years before moving to the Spokane Valley for the next 20 years where he and Sherrill became an integral part of an easier life. Thus, the beginning of a new venture in the Valley came full circle when they returned to the Valley within 10 blocks of their first home. His family had grown, with grandchildren Sarah, Brandon, Kimberly, and Leslie, great grandchildren William, Maxwell, Levi and AvaClare..
A story of a life well lived----
At his request there will be no service but a family gathering at a later date. Remembrances or memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Spokane, 121 S Arthur P.O. Box 2215 Spokane WA 99201
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