Larry Pratt
NEW BRAUNFEL, Texas — Larry Pratt, age 93, passed away on January 6, 2025 in New Braunfels, Texas. He was born in Escanaba, Michigan on April 21, 1931 to Lawrence and Mary (Park) Pratt. He graduated from Escanaba High School in 1950, and then enrolled at Michigan State College, graduating with a journalism degree in 1954 — the last year before MSC became MSU.
After his first two years at MSC, Larry spent a summer as a crewman on a Great Lakes iron ore carrier, the Louis W. Hill. That ship was later renamed the Valley Camp, and became a floating museum at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. Larry took Air Force ROTC cadet training at MSC and, upon graduation, enlisted in the USAF. He earned lieutenant’s bars and commanded enlistment barracks at Lackland AFB, Texas.
While at Lackland, he married Lorrice “Lorrie” (LeDuc) Pratt, his beloved wife of 55 years, who also grew up in Escanaba.
After military service, Larry was hired in 1956 as wire editor of the Sturgis Daily Journal in Sturgis, Michigan. Three years later he was called to the Kalamazoo Gazette for a career that lasted 34 years, during which he took part in news coverage of many major events. He served that newspaper’s readership across seven counties of Lower Michigan as a reporter, feature writer, aviation columnist and wire editor.
His weekly aviation column won him a Writer-of-the-Year trophy from the Michigan Aeronautics Commission. A private pilot, he logged 2,000-plus hours in two decades of flying. Larry retired from the Gazette in 1993.
In 1998, he founded the New Braunfels Astronomy Club (astronomynbtx.org) and remained very active in it for many years. Activities he enjoyed with the club included writing its monthly newsletter and participating in monthly star parties and other public outreach astronomy events. In 2008, he offered to write a weekly Sunday column on astronomy for the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. His column ran for eight years, before being continued for another eight years by the late Eric Erickson.
Larry is survived by his daughter, Paula Pratt; multiple nieces and nephews, and the New Braunfels Astronomy Club. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Lorrie; sister, Beatrice; and brothers, Douglas, John (Rosemary) and Conrad (Madeline) Pratt.
Our thanks to the wonderful staff at Elan Westpointe in New Braunfels for their loving care of Dad in his final years. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Any donations in memory of Larry may be made to Tye Preston Memorial Library at tpml.org, or to the charity of one’s choice.