Richard Blair Pretat

Richard Blair Prtat, 86, died June 1, 2010 at the RI Veterans Home. Born in Providence, R.I., he was the son of Miriam and George B. Prtat both deceased and the husband of Jane Reynolds Prtat of Portsmouth, R.I.With his business partner, Thomas R. Woods, he was co-owner of Woods and Prtat Appliance Co. in Providence for over 30 years.While a student at Brown University, he was a member of the Brown football team and president of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He is a past president of the Brown Club of R.I.A veteran of WW II, he was a Navy pilot and flight instructor. He continued to fly for most of his life. An avid tennis player, skier and sailor, he served as cook and crew on 11 Newport-Bermuda races as well as sailing his own Pearson 30, Doubloon, down the Inland Waterway to the Carribean. In 1962 with the help of friends, he built his family a summer cottage on Hog Island in Narragansett Bay, afterward serving as president of the Hog Island South End Association SEA several times.He was a member of the permanent diaconate of Central Congregational Church in Providence and a lifetime member of Moosup Valley Grange. A lover of all things musical, he was a past president of the RI Philharmonic Orchestra. Each summer he encouraged friends to bring their instruments and join him and his saxophone in the marching band of the Hog Island 4th of July parade.He is survived by his wife, two daughters, Deborah Prtat-Klofski of Hamburg, Germany and Judith Prtat Seaman of Portsmouth, a son, Richard B. Prtat, Jr. Rip of Mequon, WI, 8 grandchildren, 1 great grandchild and a sister, Natalie Prtat Arnold of Foster, RI.In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to the RI Veterans Home, 480 Metacom Av., Bristol, RI 02809 where he received outstanding care, love and respect for the past year and a half. A memorial service will be held on July 11, 2010, at 2:00 PM, at Central Congregational Church, 296 Angell Street, Providence, RI.