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Boreal Community Media

Robert "Bob" Pratt Memorial Service

Feb. 8, 2020 @ 11:00 am

Dr. Robert Eliot Pratt, Professor Emeritus, passed away January 24, 2020 in Duluth, Minnesota. Born in St. Paul on September 12, 1938 to Dr. Harry and Mary Pratt. Bob grew up in Grand Marais, Minnesota on Lake Superior’s north shore.  Upon graduating from Cook County High School in 1956, Bob married his high school sweetheart, Beverly. He held jobs working construction, on the fishing boats and driving truck where he gained an appreciation and admiration for this type of work that never left him. He went to Mankato State College and graduated from the University of Minnesota, Duluth where he became a teacher, teaching in Hermantown for five years. He earned his graduate degree under a fellowship at Arizona State University and worked as a school counselor in Tacoma, Washington before accepting a fellowship to attend the University of Connecticut where he received his Ph. D. in educational psychology.
He was dubbed with the moniker, “Professor Big Rig,” because he went out and bought a bright red freightliner to call his own. He hired drivers to make it work as a business but, the fact is, he drove it as much as he could, unable to hide the fact that this was the real reason he bought it. Being back in Minnesota and having a truck wasn’t enough. So, upon his retirement, Bob returned to Grand Marais where he remained active in the community working at Cook County Higher Education, for the Cook County Historical Society and by helping local students prepare for college leading to his book, “The Academic Warrior” published in 2011.

Throughout his education, career and entire life Bob wanted to know people and to understand them. He wanted to help them if he could. He always valued people, recognized their worth beyond their circumstances, gave them hope, if not assistance, for the future and an assurance that they were good and fine just the way they were.

Bob will be laid to rest February 8, 2020 on the 63rd anniversary of his marriage to Beverly. He is survived by his wife, Beverly, his brother Howard, his three children, Renee, Mike and Tim, seven grandchildren, Tim, Erica, Hannah, Viki, Mo, Alex and Nate, and his four great-grandchildren, Dominic, Tymber, Turner and Ella. Services will be held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Grand Marais at 11:00 on Feb 8th. 

Date & Time

Weekly on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday

Feb 04, 2020 through Feb 08, 2020

4:00PM - 12:30PM

Location

Bethlehem Lutheran Church - 417 W. 1st Ave., Grand Marais, MN, 55604 417 W. 1st Ave. Grand Marais 55604 MN US

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More Info

Event Website

218-387-2227

free

Religion & Spirituality