Individual Details

Springfield Union, Springfield, Massachusetts, Wednesday, August 11, 1965, Page 16, Col. 1: Retired News Editor Dies In New York. Harold Pratt Worked On Times; Started With Republican. Harold J. Pratt, a newspaper writer and editor for nearly 50 years who began his career on the staff of The Springfield Republican, died in North Merrick, N. Y., from a heart attack. He was 70 years old. Mr. Pratt was riding in his car with his wife, Madeline, when he suffered the heart attack. He stopped the car, got out and collapsed. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Meadowbrook, N. Y. Hospital.
Joins Republican.
Born in Worchester May 13, 1895, he was the son of the late Charles Augustan Pratt and Ellen Hartnell Pratt. After graduating from Bridgeport (Conn) High School in 1913 he became associated with The Republican. Four years later he resigned from the newspaper to enter the Army. Discharged from service at the end of World War I, he went to work as a reporter and rewrite man for the Worcester Telegram and for several years edited that newspaper's radio news broadcasts. In the early 1930's he left the Telegram to become a copyreader for the Providence (R. I.) Journal. He subsequently held a similar post on the New York Daily News for a few months before joining the staff of the New York Times in 1943.
On Foreign News Desk.
He remained with the Times until 1959, spending the entire 16 years as a copy editor on that newspaper's foreign news desk. During World War II he edited news dispatches from correspondents on the Western front and for many years after the war was assigned to handle copy from the United Nations. A spokesman for the Times management said Tuesday that Mr. Pratt was known as a "fast and hard-working copy-reader." In 1959 he resigned from The Times to become editor of a weekly, the Garden City (N.Y.) News. He retired from this position two years ago. He is survived by her two daughters, Mrs. Robert McChesney of Van Nuys, Cal., and Mrs. J. C. Hillem of North Merrick; a brother, Leonard C. Pratt of 44 Cayenne St., West Springfield; three sisters, Mrs. Robert P. Duncan of 65 Westmoreland Ave., Longmeadow, Miss Christine Marie Pratt of the same address, and Mrs. John E. Packard, Jr., of Marblehead, and nine grandchildren.

The Springfield Union, Springfield, Massachusetts, Friday, August 13, 1965, Page 20, Col. 3: Pratt Funeral Rites. The funeral of Harold J. Pratt, retired copy editor for The New York Times and once a sports reporter for The Springfield Republican, will be held this morning at 9 in Sacred Heart Church, Merrick, L. I. Burial will be in St. Michael's Cemetery. Rt. Rev. Msgr. Robert T. Sullivan, pastor of St. Patrick's Church will conduct the committal service. Walker funeral home of Merrick is in charge of arrangements.

Birth	13 May 1895	Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts
Birth	1896	Massachusetts
Marriage	1925	Vol. 53, Page 431, Springfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts - Madeline Francis Gendron
Residence	1935	Worcester Co., Massachusetts
Residence	1 Apr 1940	Age: 45; Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head of House: Head - Cranston, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
Death	9 Aug 1965	Merrick, Nassau Co., New York
Alt name		Harold J Pratt
Burial		St Michael's Cemetery, Springfield, Hampden Co. Massachusetts
Race		White

Spouse	Madeline Francis Gendron (1901 - 1982)
Child	Madeline F Pratt (1927 - )
Child	Joan E Pratt (1931 - )

Father	Charles A. Pratt (1864 - 1930)
Mother	Ellen T Hartnett (1866 - 1951)
Sibling	Eleanor T. Pratt (1892 - 1972)
Sibling	Leonard Charles Pratt (1893 - 1973)
Sibling	Christine M. Pratt (1900 - )
Sibling	Elizabeth Frances Pratt (1906 - 1996)