JAMES G. PRATT

James G. Pratt, 87, a former resident of Manitou Springs, Colorado for 28 years, died on October 6, 2012 while in resi-dence at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington, D.C. Jim was born July 12, 1925 in East Aurora, NY to George W. and Dorothy (Schultz) Pratt now deceased. His beloved wife of 53 years, Shirley Smith Pratt, preceded him in death on March 31, 2008. Jim is survived by daughters, Cordie Davis, of Rockland, ME and Elizabeth Janssen of Devils Lake, ND; granddaughters, Jessica Davis of Bost, MA, Anna Elizabeth Janssen, Catherine Janssen and Lydia Jane Marie Janssen of Devils Lake, ND; grandsons, Jason Davis of South Portland, ME, Benjamin Janssen of Devils Lake, ND; three sisters, Jane Marie Oubre of East Aurora, NY; Priscilla Audia of Rye, NH and Susan Mayer of Belfast, ME. While in the 1943 graduating class of Buffalo Technical High School in Buffalo, NY, Jim was appointed as a naval Aviation Ca-det at Tufts College in Medford, MA. It was the beginning of a lifetime career in Public Service. He served in a variety of Navy stations and ships from 1943 to 1966, the year he retired as a Senior Chief Petty Officer. While serving on a three year assign-ment to the U.S. Navy Liaison Office in Singapore, Malaysia, achieved his lifetime "15 minutes of fame" as the duty officer of the communications section in the United States Embassy where he broke the secret code announcing the death of President John F. Kennedy for dissemination to all of the Embassies in South East Asia. As a civilian he was employed for five years in the Town of Cape Elizabeth, ME as the first Business Manager of Public Schools fol-lowed by a nine year period of service as the Town Manager of Yarmouth, ME. In 1979, Jim and his family moved to the City of Manitou Springs, CO where he served as its Finance Director for five years followed by a ten year appointment as Chief Adminis-trative Officer. Upon Jim's retirement in 1955, the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments honored him with their annual Distinguished Ser-vice Award for "his service and efforts on behalf of Regionalism and Good, Strong, Local Government." For several years, Jim, his wife, Shirley and daughter, Elizabeth were heavily involved in the sport of figure skating at the Broad-moor World Arena. Jim was the chief announcer for local, regional, national competitions and exhibitions which included the 1987 World Championship in Cincinnati, Ohio and the 1989 United States Championships in Denver, Co. After cremation by the Neptune Society there will be no local services. Jim's remains will follow those of his beloved wife, Shirley, at the shore of the Atlantic Ocean in Cape Elizabeth, ME. Memorial contributions may be made to the United States Navy Memorial Foundation, Box 96570, Washington D.C. 20077-7685 or the United States Figure Skating Association, 20 First Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80906. Friends may sign the online register book at www.gilbertsonfuneralhome.com