Lynne Prator
Published 1:19 pm Thursday, August 10, 2023
Lynne Abadie Prator, 88, of Picayune, Mississippi, died on August 4, 2023. She had been a resident of Picayune for 54 years.
Lynne was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 12, 1934, to Ada Hoffman Abadie and Lawrence Paul Abadie. She attended schools in New Orleans, skipping ahead two grades, and starting early at LSU in Baton Rouge. She graduated in 1954 with a B.S. in Home Economics. Lynne met James “Jim” Gross Prator during her senior year at LSU. They were married in New Orleans on January 29, 1955, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church.
Lynne and Jim lived initially in Gretna and then Algiers on New Orleans’ West Bank and created a family of five children, three daughters and two sons. In 1969 the family moved to Picayune to the property they called Green Hollow. After Jim left his career as an engineer, he and Lynne opened Green Hollow Nursery in 1973 on the southeastern side of the property. The nursery was a well-known area resource for flowers, plants, trees, and landscaping for the next 25 years; it also included a pick-your-own blueberry field. When they closed the nursery, Jim worked as a hospice chaplain for the next twenty years, and Lynne enjoyed many years as a hospice volunteer.
Lynne was a devoted wife and mother. That is what she was most proud of in life. She was known for embracing her children’s many friends, for her ministry of letters and notes of encouragement and support to friends and family, and for her big smile and hospitality. Lynne loved to read and was a frequent visitor to the library and participated in the Margaret Reed Crosby Memorial Library’s book club for many years. She loved to bake and was known for her delicious chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. Lynne was a person of faith and practiced prayer and participated in her faith communities for many years at St. Charles Catholic Parish in Mississippi and later at the Ignatius Chapel Community at Loyola University in New Orleans. She had many beloved cats and dogs over the years.
Jim preceded Lynne in death by five years. Lynne is survived by their five children: Stefanie Prator Spera (and husband Jon M. Spera) of Sedona, Arizona; Jennifer Prator Henry of Jackson, Mississippi; Pamela Prator Dean of Denver, Colorado; Timothy Mark Prator (and wife Ginger Rhodes Prator) of Franklinton, Louisiana; and Christopher Scott Prator (and wife Shannon Cambias-Prator) of Mandeville, Louisiana. Lynne also has 8 living grandchildren: Austin Prator, Brittany Prator Weaver, Mary Henry Walker, Taylor Henry, Natalie Henry, Julia Dean Baldassari, Andrew Osborne, Mia Osborne-Cambias, Shawn Rhodes, and Shannon Rhodes Velazquez; and four great-grandchildren: Wesley Brian Weaver, William Christopher Weaver, Theodore James “Teddy” Walker, and Sirena Velazquez. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Elizabeth “Betty” Prator Baldauf, and her nieces including Therese Daussin Dean, Michelle Daussin Doss, Susan Baldauf Nichols, Cathi Baldauf Aurelian, Sandra Harsh, Christine Harsh, Nancy Harsh, and Dorian Jankowski Daussin. Her surviving nephews include Greg Daussin, David Daussin, Fernand Jules “Fuji” Daussin, George Wiegand, Andre Baldauf, and Glenn “Rusty” Harsh.
Lynne is also preceded in death by her beloved sister Jeanne Marie Abadie Daussin, and by her granddaughter Emily Henry Mackin.
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at the Ignatius Chapel, in Bobet Hall, Loyola University on St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, on Saturday, August 12, 2023, at 11 a.m., followed by a reception at the Chapel. In lieu of flowers, please send a donation payable to Louisiana SPCA, 1700 Mardi Gras, Blvd. NO, LA 70114; <https://www.louisianaspca.
Obituary, driving directions, and register book can be found on the internet page, at www.mcdonaldfh.com.