A Moment of Silence~

Please pray for my brother-in-law and my dear sister "Fannie" as we go through this day together to remember the joy and love Mitch shared with all of us. Thank you for your prayers... Funeral services for Mr. Louie Mitchell "Mitch" Praytor, age 74, of Lindale, are scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009, in the Caudle-Rutledge Funeral Home chapel with Bro. Buddy Hicks and the Rev. Gary Chalk officiating. Burial with Masonic graveside rites will follow in the Hopewell Cemetery with services under the direction of Caudle-Rutledge Funeral Directors in Lindale.
Mitch died Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, at his residence in Lindale. He was born on Jan. 13, 1935, in Lindale, the son of the late Weldon Mitchell and Mildred Louise Gibson Praytor. Mitch served in the United States Naval Reserves and worked for Nabisco, retiring in 1996 after 42 years. He served as president for the Tyler Lone Star Chapter of Football Officials and officiated at football and baseball games for 37 years, during which time he officiated two State Championship Football games and six State Baseball Tournaments. Mitch was a 33rd Degree Mason of the Lindale Masonic Lodge No. 848, member of the Dallas Valley Scottish Rite, York Rite, Lindale Eastern Star, Sharon Shrine Temple in Tyler, past District Deputy of the Grand Lodge of Texas and member of the Lindale First Baptist Church. Mitch was very service oriented and dedicated a lot of his life to football and baseball. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ann L. Praytor on June 2, 1990, and son, John Keith Praytor on Sept. 14, 1981.
Mitch is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Dwayne Mitchell and Pam Praytor of Lindale; brother and sister-in-law, Bud and Beth Praytor of Lindale; sisters and brothers-in-law, Pat Streetman of Mississippi, Nell Cox and husband Jim of Livermore, Calif., Sue and David Wortham of Nolanville, Shirley and Bill Abbott of Lindale and Laura and Gean Alvey of Lindale; sisters-in-law, Sharlotte Wilkerson and husband Ed of Edom and Shirley McHam of Lindale; two grandchildren, Cody Mitchell Praytor and wife Amanda of Forney and Haley Jayne Praytor of Rockwall; two great-grandsons, Layten Mitchell and Landon Jax Praytor, both of Forney; numerous nieces and nephews.
Serving as pallbearers will be the Lindale Masonic Lodge No. 848. Honorary pallbearers are Charles Battee, Gary Chalk, Monty Florence, Kyle Rutherford and other members of the Tyler Lone Star Chapter of Football Officials and Masons, Chuck Allard, Larry Blanchard, Ben Brown, Gene Conley and Leslie Tew.
Memorials may be made to the Hospice of East Texas, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, 75701.
Published in the Tyler Morning Telegraph on 10/12/2009