Obituary of Marie C. Pratt

Marie C Pratt: 95, formerly of Apalachin, NY, passed away peacefully on October 7, 2017 in Tampa, FL. Born on October 2, 1922 to the late Dominick and Antoinette Rizzi of Endicott, NY, she spent the majority of life in the triple cities area until relocating to Tampa, FL in 2015. She is predeceased by her husband of 42 years, Capt. Curtis H. Pratt, USAF of Apalachin and sons Richard Pratt and Cresson Pratt. She was the last surviving sibling in the large, close-knit Rizzi Family, predeceased by her sisters Lucy Battisti, Theresa Szeliga, Angela Neira, and Adeline Burns and brothers John, Julian, and Dominick Rizzi, all of Endicott, NY. She is survived by sons Curtis and Susan Pratt of Elgin, SC, and Lynn Pratt and Lori Brown of Apalachin, NY; and daughters Carol Pratt of Penn Yan, NY and Janice Pratt and husband Gil Cruz, of Tampa, FL; ten grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren; as well as several nieces and nephews. Marie attended Union-Endicott High School and was later employed at Endicott-Johnson Shoe Co. ("E-J"), where she worked until 1947 when she married. As a military wife, she was fortunate to travel and live in several different cities and on Air Force bases throughout the country and spent several years living in Germany and England. After returning to the states and settling in Apalachin, she continued as a devoted wife, mother, and homemaker. Marie loved music and singing, enjoyed writing poetry and baking from scratch. Her oatmeal cookies and freezer full of homemade anisette biscotti were legendary. She was an avid lover of crossword and jumble puzzles, completing them in the daily newspaper for decades. Most importantly, Marie had a warm and generous heart, a great sense of humor and wit, and a love for her family, faith, and friends that will long be remembered and cherished. A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, October 28, 2017 at Blessed Trinity Parish/ St. Margaret Mary's Church in Apalachin. Calling hours begin at 11:30 a.m. followed by a funeral mass at 12:30 p.m. A small graveside service is planned immediately following at Ninevah Presbyterian Cemetery in Ninevah, NY.