Etha William Pratt (age 98) was born to parents Fred E. and Minnie Belle Pratt in the Molson/Chesaw area on March 29, 1912. He passed away Feb. 6, 2011.

Etha was the eighth of ten children and started school at Pontiac Ridge in the Molson/Chesaw area. When the family moved to Aeneas Valley, he attended the one-room schoolhouse there and later attended high school in Tonasket. His father was a cattle buyer and Etha rode horseback to deliver the stock to the Tonasket stockyard. He served in the Army in World War II. He later married Marie Foote Howe and adopted her small son, Melvin.

Etha spent several years in Brazil with his older brother, Lloyd, drilling for the government and later went into farming. They came back to Tonasket and started an orchard, which they later sold. Etha rode for many of the area ranchers, spending summers in the high country. He was truly one of the last of the real old-time cowboys. For 20 years he rode for the 20 Bar 3 Grazing Association in Tunk Valley. Etha and Marie spent many of their winters in Arizona.

Etha was preceded in death by his parents; nine brothers and sisters; his wife, Marie; and son, Melvin.

He is survived by a daughter-in-law, Carol Pratt; and two grand-daughters (Great Falls, Mont.); six nieces; one nephew; and many great-great, and great-great-great nieces and nephews. Locally he leaves one special niece he considered his daughter, Sandra Stanley of Grand Coulee and a niece, Lorraine Green, of Tunk Valley.

Graveside services will be conducted by the Church of Latter Day Saints on Thursday, Feb. 10, at 1 p.m. at the Tonasket Cemetery. After the service there will be a dessert social at the Tonasket Senior Center at 2 p.m.

The family will hold a Celebration of Life for him at their annual family reunion this summer.

Bergh Funeral Service of Tonasket/Oroville in care of arrangements.