J. Michael Pratt

Born in Halton, England June 25, 1935, J. Michael Pratt spent his early years in The Lee, Buckinghamshire, England. Mike, an accomplished raconteur, had many tales of growing up during WWII in the country. At the age of 16, Mike joined the Royal Navy as a boy apprentice artificer. He served in the RN for 23 years. He was an engineer officer, retiring in 1975 with a Queen's commission, which he was awarded in 1971. Mike volunteered as a submariner, serving in both diesel and nuclear boats. He earned a post-graduate diploma in nuclear technology at the Royal Naval College in Greenwich. His final appointment was Nuclear Repair Officer at the Royal Naval submarine base in Faslane, Scotland. Mike was a chartered engineer in the nuclear, mechanical and marine disciplines.

Prior to emigrating to the United States in 1979, Mike held senior management posts in ESCOM, the South African electrical utility. Involved in the contracting and construction of South Africa's first atomic power station, Mike became an innovator in the field of quality management. He presented numerous papers at conferences, including the International Atomic Energy Agency International Symposium on Quality Assurance for Nuclear Power Plants, Paris 1981, and the Twelfth Annual American Society for Quality Control National Energy Division Conference. Mike was awarded the ASQC Golden Quill Award for his work on a subcommittee to develop a Surveillance Handbook. He was seconded from his senior management position at Gilbert Commonweatlh of Reading, PA to the Institute of Nuclear Power Plant Operations in Atlanta, Georgia. He established performance criteria and operating procedures which became the industry standard. Mike became a U.S. citizen in 1985.

In 1988 Mike relocated his family to Harford County and became the Quality Assurance Manager at Peach Bottom nuclear power plant. He became involved in the community by joining the volunteer board of the Northeastern Technology Council, a work-force development initiative of the then Governor of Maryland. NTC was a partner in the development of the HEAT Center in Aberdeen. Later, Mike was recruited by SAIC, serving as a consultant on various engineering and chemical demilitarization projects.

Upon his retirement, Mike was able to devote more time to volunteering with the Rotary Club of Bel Air. He was a Paul Harris Fellow. He was also a past Laird of the Highland Society of Harford County. Mike traveled extensively and was an avid photographer, bird watcher, and expert on Admiral Lord Nelson.

He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Elizabeth Maud (nee Stokes), a son, David Robert of Portsmouth, England, three daughters: Debra Mari-rose MacLeod of Menorca, Spain, Catherine Elizabeth Grant of Belcamp, MD, and Faith Caroline Pratt of Eugene, Oregon; sisters, Felicity Elizabeth Garrett of Aylesbury, England and Victoria Jean Phillips of Amersham, England; stepmother, Daphne Jean Pratt of Amersham, England; three grandchildren and one great-grandson.

Those who desire may make donations to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 5216, Glen Allen, VA 23058 or the Rotary Club of Bel Air, P.O. Box 53, Bel Air, MD 21014 and make checks payable to Bel Air Rotary Foundation.