John Prater Obituary

John Prater, aged 84, passed away peacefully at his home in Denver, Colorado on November 17, 2025, surrounded by his wife and family.

John was born on June 2, 1941, in Danville, Illinois and grew up in Ridge Farm, Illinois. He graduated from Ridge Farm High School in 1959. In high school, John was active in sports, playing varsity football, and in FFA, growing and selling his own crops of popcorn. In the early 1960’s, John moved to Denver and followed his interest in agriculture as a Sales Representative for Carnation Company, working with feedlot operators in the Western US. He met his wife, Ann, in 1969 and they married in 1972. They relocated to Craig, Colorado where John managed a restaurant, and in 1978, they opened their own restaurant west of Denver. John and Ann remained in Denver until 1983 before returning to Craig, where John worked for the US Forest Service in the Routt National Forest. He was later a natural gas Field Engineer in Western Colorado for Rocky Mountain Natural Gas (KN Energy/ Kinder Morgan).

John was an avid outdoorsman and sportsman. He was a passionate fisherman and hunter in the Routt National Forest and the Blue and White Rivers, and enjoyed ranching in the Yampa Valley until he and Ann returned to Denver in the late 1990’s.

John is survived by his beloved wife, Ann, and his son, Brandon, daughter-in-law, Siri, and grandchildren, William and Maddie, who reside in the UK.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, please consider a donation to the American Heart Association.