A notice from TSJC informs me of his passing on Sept 7. He was a very big factor with the early training in the gunsmith program. Several barrel makers learned from his instructions. To all who knew him it is a sad day to lose another great gunsmith.

Les Brooks, class 1963

Dear friend,

Bill Prator, gunsmith instructor for 32 years, passed away on Sunday, September 7, 2008. He was a machine shop student at TSJC in 1940, then worked for Remington Arms and Army Service prior to a 5-year stint with acclaimed gunsmith P.O. Ackley in his private business until 1950. (Ackley was a driving force in establishing the Gunsmithing Program at TSJC in 1947.) Prator joined the instructional staff in 1950 becoming the program’s second instructor. The gun range, financed by the TSJC Educational Foundation was dedicated to Prator. The family is asking those wishing to make a memorial contribution to direct it to the TSJC Educational Foundation for the benefit of the gunsmithing program. An acknowledgement is sent to the family so they may know of your contribution in his memory.

With sorrow,

~Toni

Toni DeAngelis

Trinidad State Junior College

Director of Development & College Relations

Exec Director - TSJC Educational Foundation

719-846-5520/1-800-621-8752 x5520

Thanks for the notice Les.
Bill Prator was an extraordinary man and had that kind of influence on my career. I spent many, many wonderful hours in his company both in and out of school.
Here are a couple of snapshots from TSJC. At my second graduation(1978 from the Advanced Repair Gunsmithing Program) L-R Instructors Jim Fidler, Joe Tessari, Ed Shulin and Bill Prator. And a pic of Prator teaching chambering (circa 1976) on "Prator's lathe" in the front of "Prator's shop".
So many memories!

I spent many hours working on Prator's rifling machines in his shop behind his house in 52,53,and 54. Mostly just doing grunt work. He was an excellant instructor AND friend. Makes us all realize just what time it is. I actually remember him WITH hair, but most of us did have it back then.

Les I personally never had the privileged of meeting Bill Prator, But if he was anything like Joe Tessari, I spent many a days at Joes's house talking to him, telling jokes, him telling me short cuts. And I spent many a nights at the prator range shooting trap. Sorry to here about Bill Prator's passing.

P.S. Those old photos are priceless.

MADJACK forgot to mention that Joe Tessari owned the liquor store.

Good excuse to chew the fat with him.


I met Bill Prator a few times while in school in 89-92. I constantly tried to get the rifling machine that he made out of storage. Never got the chance to use it.


RIP

More Bill Prator photos. Because I was a married student, stayed in town year round and vacations etc. and was just a bit older (25) than some students, I was privileged to spent a lot of time with Prator out of class. We went hunting, shooting prairie dogs, running his trap-line and I worked with him on the gun range. I took pictures, all of these circa 1976-78.
Top: At the front of Prator's shop talking with Dennis Detloff another instructor at that time. Middle: Demonstrating hardening and tempering a spring, I do it the same way today and often think of Bill when I do. Bottom: Those rifling machines, reamer and deep-hole drill. I believe the second from left is the hand-cut rifling machine.

Out of the shop. top: On a dove shoot, Bill leaning across the hood with a mess of doves and a couple of students. Prator was not adverse to shooting them off the wire.
Middle: Trap line, Prator is in front of the cottomnwood about to dipatch a trapped coyote (look closely) with a stick he picked up on the spot.
Lower; At the top of the Mtn above Tercio, with Prator's new truck, Rod and Ted, cowboy students from Gunnison(?) Drinking beer after running the trap line.


Bill Prator was an extraordinary man! I could tell a lot of stories.

Just curious as to any relationship between Boots Obermeyer and Bill Prator?

Seems like Prator might have been an influence on a student that was to go on to be perhaps the most important of Trinidad graduates in the barrel making field?

flaco