Hugh H Prather

My Obituary

Hugh Prather

I was born on Monday, December 21, 1942, and took my last breath on October 26, 2024, accompanied by my loving family. They gathered with me for a life review, and shared with me their reflections on a life I hope and believe was well lived. If you are reading this and know me, you will remember that I am a native New Mexican, proud of my mother and father, Hubert and Alice Prather, who raised me in Española New Mexico. If you don’t know me, I will give you a brief overview of my life’s journey and thank you for taking the time to reflect on these thoughts.

I’m survived by a wonderful wife of 62 years, Kay and two lovely daughters Pamela Prather and grandson Harrison, and Christina Prather Skinner, husband Stephen Skinner, and twin granddaughters, Haleigh and Mackenzie Skinner.

I believe my life can be summarized as one of service and I will highlight several of those areas where I offered what I had to offer and gave what I had to give.

I volunteered and served a four year tour in the United States Navy and was proud and honored to have been a Vietnam veteran as a result that service.

I served a 25 year professional career in public education in New Mexico as a teacher and administrator. Following that I served almost every school district in the state of New Mexico over a 30 year career as a consultant and facilitator and served many of the boards of education statewide in the same capacity.

I served almost 30 years as a volunteer for Presbyterian Healthcare Services in Albuquerque in the capacity of hospice work, pet therapy, and advance care planning.

Allow me to share how I would like to have you remember me:

Do not stand by my grave and weep,

I am not there

I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glint on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you wake in the morning hush,

I am the swift, uplifting rush

Of quiet birds

In circling flight.

I am the soft starlight at night,

No, do not stand at my grave and cry,

I am not there.

I did not die.

(Joyce Fossen)

A private interment at the New Mexico Vietnam Veterans’ Cemetery will be held. No memorial service for me is scheduled at my request.

In lieu of flowers or memorial contributions my family and I would ask you to consider undertaking one or more of the five following options:

1) Hug someone you love dearly and tell them love is all there is.

2) Pat your dog or stroke your cat and smile. Kindness is a gift in so many, many ways.

3) Stop and observe a flower in bloom that sprouted in the spring and will fade in the fall. Oh,

the beauty of the moment.

4) Pour a glass of your favorite libation and observe and toast a sunset.

Ah, the glorious impermanence of it all.

5) Reflect over the course of the seasons as the days lengthen, and then, as they pass the summer

solstice, shorten to finally arrive at the darkest night of the year, that we, too, are born, grow up,

grow old, and die and be at peace with that understanding.