Pratt Gates

Pratt Gates
Escalante, Utah

    Our loving father, grandfather and uncle, Pratt Gates, passed away on December 18,2023 at his home in Escalante surrounded by his two daughters. Pratt recently celebrated his 92nd birthday on July 22, 2023; he is the fifth child of William Henry Gates Jr. and Lily Nathalie Pratt who died in childbirth. Charles and Alice Bailey of Escalante raised him. 
    Pratt attended and graduated from Escalante High School, he enjoyed playing all sports especially basketball, at which he was exceptionally good. The basketball teams did not have access to busses, so they traveled as a team to surrounding communities in the back of cattle trucks, which he stated was very cold in the wintertime. 
    Later in life he enjoyed refereeing local basketball games. He always supported the EHS basketball teams and he also helped coach the teams for some years. He enjoyed being able to watch his son and daughters and grandchildren play different sports through the years. 
    Pratt attended BYU and later he attended CSU (SUU) in Cedar City Utah. He served a mission in the California Northern Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, then returned home to serve in the US Army and was stationed in South Korea during the Korean War conflict. Upon returning home at the end of the war,  Pratt married Arcola Spencer, also of Escalante, on May 25, 1955, in the St. George Temple. They made their home in Escalante and were married for 68 years until this past October when his loving wife Arcola passed
away peacefully at their home with Pratt by her side. They welcomed three children to their family: Margo, Carol, and Darren. 
    As a young boy he was responsible for helping with the cattle and sheep, at the age of 10 years old he spent many a night alone tending to the animals down on the Escalante desert in the fall and winter then in the summer took the cattle up to the pastures and valleys of the Escalante mountain, and again, he spent days and nights by himself, at 10 years old he would drive a team of horses and wagon down the mountain to town to pick up supplies and take back up the  mountain to their camp.
    Pratt grew up loving horses, his favorite place to be was in the saddle a top a good horse which he usually raised and trained himself. The words that best describe Pratt is a true, authentic “Cowboy.” Pratt loved all animals especially his horses and his dogs, and he raised his children working beside him running the ranch. He taught his children how to work and work hard and to help others in need and love the Lord. 
    Pratt and Arcola were actively involved in the community and church activities, they were active members of the Escalante Riding Club, they were involved in many rodeo’s and horse race meets through the years. He worked for the Flying V Ranch, he worked as a wrangler for Pete Mangum at Bryce, Zion’s, and Grand Canyon, taking tourists on horse rides through our national parks. He moved back to Escalante and worked at Turn-About Ranch working with the youth until he retired and spent the rest of his days every summer raising a big garden and taking care of his three old horses. 
    Pratt is survived by his children: Margo Smith, Escalante; Carol (Russell) Sorensen, St. George; and Darren Gates, Queen’s Creek, AZ. They have 7 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-granddaughter; and many nieces and nephews.
    He is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Arcola; son-in-law, Jim Smith; great-granddaughter, Genevieve Gates; siblings: Viola (Keith) Shanley, Lois (Leo) Carlton, Leone (Shirley)
Gates, and infant, Valeen Gates. 
    The family wants to thank all the people who have helped with the care of Pratt and the service from Zion’s Way Hospice. 
    Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 6, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. in the Escalante 1st Ward Chapel, where friends and family may attend the viewing at 9:00-10:30am. Burial will be in the Escalante Cemetery with military honors. Funeral Directors: Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina and Manti. Online guestbook at www.maglebymortuary.com