Lawrence Prato

On December 29, 2006, Lawrence "Bud" Prato, father, husband and friend was called home to the Father after a long battle with cancer. He was 83 years old. Bud was born on January 6, 1923 to Augusta and Albert Prato in the Italian community of South Park. He attended grade school at Concord Elementary and graduated from Cleveland High School in 1941 before entering the Navy. He served in the South Pacific before receiving a medical discharge in 1945. After the war he worked as a mechanic and auto repairman. It was at this time that a close friend (soon to be brother-in-law) introduced him to his bride, Corinne Joy LeMoine. They married on January 10, 1948. Bud worked as a painter for Westside Ford before he decided to open his own auto rebuild business. In 1960, Hi-View Auto Rebuild, serving the Burien, Highline and White Center communities open its doors. For the next 15 years, Bud Prato and Hi-View Auto Rebuild were synonymous with excellent service, ethical business practices and quality service. In 1975, he left the Burien area and "retired" to Belfair where he and Corinne built a home and a shop for him to "tinker." In 1990, he sold his business to retire full time. Bud is preceded in death by his wife of 46 years, who passed away in 1994, and is survived by his four children, Linda Prato, Kathy Prato Stockbridge, Michael Prato and Patti Prato Boring, his eleven grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. Prior to his death, Bud confided to his children that which brought him the greatest joy in life: the strength of their marriages, their work ethic and the passion with which each of them has pursued their careers, all in the service of others. It appears that his legacy lives on! Graveside service will be at 2:00 pm on Saturday, January 6, 2007 at Twin Firs Cemetery in Belfair, Washington