Photo of Richard and Linda (Leonard) Pray that accompanied his obituary at the Brown Funeral Homes web site.
Contributed by rkohler3 on 5/13/14 - Image Year: 2010
OBITUARY for RICHARD J. ‘DICK’ PRAY
PORT ROYAL - Richard J. "Dick" Pray, 81, of Port Royal, died at 9:56 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011, at the Locust Grove Retirement Village, Mifflin.
Born Feb. 16, 1930, in Clinton, Clinton County, Iowa, he was a son of the late John H. and Gladys O. (Steckman) Pray.
On Dec. 18, 1982, he married his surviving wife, Linda L. (Leonard) Pray, with whom he spent nearly 29 years of marriage. His first wife, Gertrude F. (Determan) Pray, whom he married in August 1955, preceded him in death on Feb. 1, 1982.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by: his children, Steven R. Pray, of LeClaire, Iowa, William E. Pray and his wife, Jeanne, of Camp Hill, Sheila A. Lebkicher and her husband, Terry, of Walnut, Patrick E. Pray and his wife, Gwen, of Shermans Dale, David K. Pray and his wife, Pamela, of Port Royal; three brothers, John W. Pray and his wife, Judy, of Clinton, Iowa, Howard E. Pray and his wife, Judy, of Bettendorf, Iowa, Robert R. Pray and his wife, Adella, of Fayetteville, N.C.; one sister, Gloria J. Lowry and her husband, Keith, of Peoria, Ill.; 12 grandchildren, Olney Innerst, Megan Pray, Shannon Pray, David Shemaria, Adam Lebkicher, Michael Pray, Gregory Pray, Erin Pray, Elena Pray, Nathan Pray, Daniel Pray and Kristen Pray; and one great-grandson, Brycen Watton.
An infant sister, Inez J. Pray, preceded him in death.
Richard was a 1948 graduate of Charlotte High School in Iowa and attended Iowa State University.
He was a U.S. Air Force veteran and served his country during the Korean Conflict.
Mr. Pray was a member of the Port Royal Presbyterian Church, a life member, past Commander and Quartermaster of the Crawford-Brubaker VFW Post 5863 and the American Legion Post 298, both of Mifflintown. He was a member of the Juniata County Veterans Council and a loyal participant in the council's military burial honor guard. He was a member of the Lost Creek Golf Club, Oakland Mills. Dick also served two terms as a Port Royal Borough Councilman.
After moving to Juniata County from Camanche, Iowa, he served as the manager for Barrows Enterprises Inc., Mifflintown and later he and his wife, Linda, owned and operated McClure's Flowers, Port Royal.
Dick's love of the outdoors was evident in his passion for golfing and hunting; however, his greatest joy came from spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren and greatgrandson.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, Nov. 21, 2011, at the Port Royal Presbyterian Church, on the corner of Main and Fourth streets, Port Royal, with Pastor Crystal Lyde officiating. Interment will follow in the Westminster Presbyterian Cemetery, Mifflintown, where the Juniata County Veterans Council will accord full military burial honors.
Viewing will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011, at the Brown Funeral Homes Inc., 100 Bridge St., Mifflintown, and from 10:30 a.m. Monday until the time of service at the church.
For those who wish, memorial contributions in Mr. Pray's memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, 324 S. Logan Blvd., Suite B, Burnham, PA 17009.
Online tributes and condolences may be extended to the family by visiting www.brownfuneralhomesinc.com.
