Clayton “Clay” Prater, age 80, most recently of Grover, N.C., passed away Sunday, May 3, 2020, at Testa Family Hospice House in Kings Mountain. He was of the Christian faith, having been baptized in 1987.

He was born on July 25, 1939 in Prestonsburg, Ky. to Callihan and Edith Holbrook Howard Prater and was a 1957 graduate of Warsaw High School, Warsaw; a member of the 82nd Airborne Division of Ft. Bragg 1957-59; a graduate of Midwestern College with an Associate Degree in Manufacturing Engineering in 1971; a graduate of Purdue University  with a
Bachelor of Science in Management in 1984; an employee of Franklin Electric in Bluffton; and a retiree of Fasco Corporation in 2004.

Clay is survived by his wife Mary Elizabeth Prater of Shelby, N.C. ; two daughters: Karen (Mark) Schwendau of Byron, Ill. and Ronda (Jim) Williams of Ironton, Ohio; grandchildren: Ryan (Michele) Brickel of Rochester, N.H.; Jason Brickel of Little Elm, Texas; Ashley Brickel of Chicago, Ill.; Jonathan Williams of Toledo, OH; Lena Williams of Inez, Ky.; and a great-grandson, William Williams-Hager.

He is also survived by sisters Ethel Thompson of Warsaw and Bethel Barth of Milford as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sisters Jewel Scoles and Mary Prater, and by his brothers Beecher Howard, Butch Prater, and Donnie Prater.

Clay was an avid golfer and a devoted father. He loved traveling and was an accomplished handyman and entrepreneur who will be remembered most for his encouragement, great sense of humor, and positive outlook on life. He will be dearly missed by his loving family who will be holding a private celebration of his life.