By Joel Langton
The 830 Times
Major Gen. (ret.) Gerald Prather, a Del Rio icon known to many as “Del Rio’s General,” died at about 10:15 a.m. Wednesday in San Antonio’s Northeast Baptist Hospital.
Prather came to Del Rio in 1954 as part of the Air Force’s aviation cadet program. In the program, graduation from pilot training earned him his lieutenant’s rank.
While assigned to Laughlin Air Force Base, he met his first wife, Carolyn who he had four children with – Bryan, Dean, Angela and JeriLyn.
More than 30 years later, after a stellar career in which he earned numerous awards and medals, Prather retired from the Air Force and he and his family returned to Del Rio where he served the community in a number of roles.
He was a justice of the peace, county planner for Val Verde County, president and lifetime director of the Del Rio Chamber of Commerce, chairman and president of the United Way and district president of the Boy Scouts of America.
Prather was surprised in September 2012 when the Air Force renamed Laughlin’s Freedom Way to Prather Street. Laughlin’s wing commander asked him to attend a ceremony at the base. “I just thought they wanted a retired general there,” Prather later joked.
However, he knew something was up when he walked into Laughlin’s Heritage Park and his 13 children and grandchildren were at the ceremony already.
At the ceremony, the wing commander shared his thoughts on Prather’s life.
“As we look back over his career accomplishments, when we talk with those who know him best, when we look at what he does every day, it is what he has always done,” said then Col. Tom Murphy, who was 47th Flying Training Wing commander and later retired with the rank of major general. “He makes a difference in the life of everyone he meets.”
During the ceremony, Prather shared his passion for Del Rio.
“I’ve enjoyed helping protect the people of Laughlin and the city of Del Rio,” Prather said. “These are my people, my town and my base. That’ll never change.”
It was only the 77th time in the Air Force’s history a street had been named after someone while they were still alive.
In 2016, Prather married Helen Madla, who he traveled the world with.
As information becomes available, it will be released.
—
Contact the author at Joelalangton@gmail.com
