James A. Rather

James A Rather, 56, of Naplate, died Sunday, December 23, 2007, at home. Funeral services will be at 8 p.m. Thursday, December 27th, at Gladfelter Funeral Home with the Rev. Tracy Johnson of the Calvary Baptist church and Robert Johnson officiating. Following the services there will be full military honors. Cremation will be accorded. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Gladfelter Funeral Home. Mr. Rather was born March 31, 1951, in Fond Du Lac, Wisc. to Raymond and Catherine (Yakaites) Rather. He married Pearl S. Carver on May 1, 2001, in Streator. He was a member of the Ottawa Loyal Order of the Moose. He served in the Viet Nam conflict in Germany as a Spec. 5. He was employed by Gay's Body Shop for 38 years. He was a graduate of OTHS with the class of 1969. He is survived by his wife; a daughter, Mary Kaye (Jacob) Gliem of Grand Ridge; three stepdaughters, Dawn (Mike) McEmery and Rev. Tracy Johnson both of Marseilles and Brandi (Vince) Marez of Dayton; two stepsons, Tom (Angela) Meyer of Shelbyville, Tenn. and Robert (Heather) Powell of Streator; one granddaughter; 14 step-grandchildren; and two sisters, Marese "Tootsie" Rather of Grand Ridge and Jeanette Weber of Forest City, N.C. His parents preceded him in death. Memorials may be directed to the family.