Hillis Arthur Pratt, Jr.

Hillis Arthur Pratt, Jr., 67, of North Port, Florida, passed away at the Tidewell Hospice House in Port Charlotte, Florida, on August 9, 2022. He was born January 28, 1955, in Jonesboro, Arkansas, to Hillis and Viola Pratt. He was a proud 21 month liver transplant survivor. He and his beloved wife Nivea had recently retired to Florida. He was a member of Mineral Baptist Church in Mineral, Virginia. He was raised in Fisher Street United Methodist Church in Jonesboro, and was a certified lay speaker for the Methodist church in Virginia. He graduated from Jonesboro High School in 1973, the class that had graduation delayed because the school was destroyed by a tornado. He attended the Missouri Institute of Technology in Kansas City and the University of Missouri in Rolla. He was a member of the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity while at UMR. He served in the U. S. Navy for nine years as a nuclear electronics technician and earned his nickname “Spike.” He was active in the Lion’s Club while living in Virginia, serving as president and zone chairman. He retired in 2019 from Dominion, North Anna Power Station in Virginia as a Senior Nuclear Process Computer Systems Specialist. Survivors include his wife of 34 years, Nivea Pratt of the home; a special family, Stephanie, Chris, Jamison and Julian French of Christiansburg, Virginia; sister Sara Dickey and husband Bruce of Paragould, Arkansas; sister-in-law Maria Rivera and brother-in-law German Rivera, both of Bayamon, Puerto Rico; nephew Sam Dickey and niece Sally Cunningham; great nieces Berry and Ella, all of Paragould; two aunts, several cousins, and a host of many friends far and wide. He was preceded in death by his parents; grandparents Lena and Charlie Gambill and Lena and Pink Pratt; many aunts and uncles; and four cousins. Pallbearers are German Rivera, Bruce Dickey, Lynn Redwine, Andrew Colby, and Jack Furtado. Honorary pallbearers are Sam Dickey, Randy Emerson, Charlie Emerson, Dr. Greg Gambill, Darren Gambill, Glenn Bridger, Jerry Howard, Randall Pratt, Dr. Richard Stevenson, Joe Gonzales, Jim Wilder, Dominion co-workers, and dear Mineral, Louisa, and North Port friends and neighbors. Visitation will be Wednesday, August 17, 2022, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. and Thursday 9:30-11:00 a.m. at Toale Brothers Funeral Home in Venice, Florida. Rev. Mark Denison will officiate the funeral service, and burial will be at Sarasota National Cemetery at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time with military honors. In lieu of flowers, please consider Mineral Baptist Church (51 Louisa Avenue, Louisa, VA 23117), Fisher Street United Methodist Church (301 N. Fisher Street, Jonesboro, AR 72401), or the charity of your choice.

Tributes

Hillis Arthur Pratt, Jr.

January 28, 1955 - August 9, 2022