EUREKA, Mo. -- William "Bill" Harding Prater, 78, of Eureka died Tuesday, Sept. 10.

Born, raised and educated in Zalma, Mo., Prater served during World War II with the U.S. Army in the Battle of Luzon.

He and Joy R. Prater were married in 1945 and resided primarily in the Eureka area.

He worked as a material handling superintendent with Ford Motor Company.

He retired after 31 years with Ford in 1979.

He is survived by his wife; three daughters Jan McVicar of Pacific, Mo., Sandy Couch of Eureka, Becky Colletta of Grosse Point, Mo.; two sons Bill Prater of Chesterfield,Mo., and Bob Prater of Eureka; three sisters, Caltha Ramsey and Lucille James, of Marble Hill, Mo., and Oralea Mathis of Cape Girardeau; three brothers, Raymond Prater of Nehalem, Ore.; Glenn Prater of Dunnsville, Va.; Jerry Prater of Robertsville, Mo.

Other survivors included five grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

He was preceded in death by two brothers and a sister.

Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. today at the Cunningham-Millard-Cantriel Funeral Home in Eureka.

Services will be held at 1 p.m., Friday, in the Eureka United Methodist Church. Burial will take place at the Jefferson Barracks.