Frederick "Fred" C. Prafcke, Jr.

Frederick "Fred" C. Prafcke, Jr., 84, of Ottawa, died Saturday, January 5th, at Ottawa Pavilion. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Monday at Epworth United Methodist Church with the Rev. Kangse Lee officiating. Burial will be in Ottawa Avenue Cemetery with full military honors. Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Gladfelter Funeral Home and one hour prior to the services Monday at the church. Mr. Prafcke was born in Ottawa on April 3, 1923, to Frederick C. and Amelia (Reiff) Prafcke. He married Mary Lyn Hindsman on April 12, 1952, in Santa Barbara, Calif. He attended the Ottawa Grade Schools, and was graduated from the Ottawa Township High School with the Class of 1942. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1942, and went overseas in 1944, and was in the Third Army, and saw service in France, Belgium, and Germany. After his discharge from service in 1945, Fred joined his fathers Plumbing and Heating business. After his fathers death in 1946, Fred joined the Ottawa Fire Department as a "Volunteer" or call fireman to replace his father's position. Fred Prafcke, Sr. had been a call fireman for 38 years. Fred Prafcke, Jr. retired from the Ottawa Fire Department in 1988 after 42 years of service. In 1947, Fred joined the reorganized Illinois National Guards 44th Division as a member of the Heavy Mortar Company, 129th Regiment. In 1952, when the 44th Division was federalized for the Korean War, Fred went to Camp Cooke, Calif., as a Platoon Leader in Company A, 129th Infantry Regiment. In 1953, Fred was discharged from the service and returned to work for the Prafcke Plumbing and Heating Co. In 1958, Fred helped reorganize the Ottawa Civil Defense organization and was the Chief of the Fire and Rescue Service. Mayor James Thomas later appointed him the Civil Defense Director. Fred was a Past Commander of Post 2470, Veterans of Foreign Wars, a member of the American Legion Post No. 33, Past Exalted Ruler of the Ottawa Elks Lodge 588, a 50 year member of Occidental Lodge No. 40 A.F. & A.M., Royal and Select Masters Council 13, Shabbona Chapter No. 37, Royal Arch Masons, Ottawa Commandery No. 10, Knights Templar, a 32�Mason in the Scottish Rite Consistory, Valley of Bloomington, and a member of the Mohammed Temple Shrine of Peoria Heights, Ill. Fred is survived by his wife; a daughter, Nancy (Dean) Evans of Lake Forest, Calif.; and a grandson, Drew M. Evans. He was preceded in death by his half-sister, Hazel Martin; and a niece and nephew. Pallbearers will be Dean and Drew Evans, Cliff Espivik, Lester Wilder, Rick Olesen and Tom Ganiere. Honorary pallbearers will be Herb Williams and Stan Osman. Memorials may be directed to the Epworth United Methodist Church or the Ottawa Masonic Temple.