Reginald Lang "Rex" Prather

NEW CASTLE PRATHER, REGINALD LANG, "REX" 86, died Wednesday, February 9, 2005, at Jewish Hospital in Shelbyville, KY. He was born January 21, 1919, in Woodford County, KY. He was married to the late Ellene Martin Stewart Prather for 59 years. A graduate of the University of Kentucky, he was designated a distinguished alumni by the College of Agriculture. He was a lieutenant in the US Navy during World War II, captain of LSM490 and a retired as vice-president of Guardsman Chemicals, after which he served as mayor and city councilman of New Castle for many years. He was a member of New Castle First Baptist Church for over 50 years, serving as a Sunday school teacher and deacon for most of that time. He was a member of the Simpson Masonic Lodge in New Castle and the Hadi Shrine, a life-long farmer, master cabinet maker, horticulturist and dabbled less successfully in wine-making. "He was occasionally wrong, but never in doubt." He is survived by his four children, Mrs. Thomas H. Haydon (Sarah Martin) of Troy, OH, Mrs. David Stahl (Marty) of New Castle, Stewart Lang Prather (Deborah) of Louisville and Donald T. Prather of Shelbyville; his brother, William Thomas Prather Jr. of New Castle; two sisters, June Rolph and Martha Jean Cox, both of Versailles; 11 grandchildren; and four great-grandchil-dren. His funeral service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, February 13, 2005, at New Castle First Baptist Church, 47 East Cross Main St. Visitation will be after 1 p.m. Sunday at the church. Arrangements by Prewitt New Castle Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the American Cancer Society, 289 College St., New Castle, KY 40050, the American Heart Association, 333 Guthrie Street, Suite 207, Louisville, KY 40202 or New Castle First Baptist Church, PO Box 126, New Castle, KY 40050.