Mary Katherine (Barger) Prater

July 10, 1941 – May 20, 2026

Mary Katherine (Barger) Prater, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away on May 20, 2026, at the age of 84. Born on July 10, 1941, in Knoxville, Tennessee, to Bill and Laura (Pate) Barger, Mary carried the warmth of her Southern roots with her every day of her life.

At just 16 years old, while working as a waitress at a Knoxville restaurant, Mary caught the eye of a young semi-professional golfer named Virgil Jackson Prater. Two years later, in 1959, they were married - the beginning of a devoted partnership that would last 38 years, until Virgil’s passing in 1997. In 1961, the couple made their home in Ferndale, Maryland, where Mary would live for the rest of her long and cherished life.

Mary’s greatest joy and proudest calling was being a mother and homemaker. She raised three children with love, patience, and the kind of steady grace that left a lasting mark on everyone who knew her. She is survived by her daughter Donna Marie (Dawson) and her husband Dexter; her daughter Vicky Lynn (Kern) and her husband Jim; and her son Anthony Jackson. She was a treasured grandmother to Dexter, Daniel, Amanda, David, and Andrew, and a devoted great-grandmother to Joshua, Hailey, Dexter, Ally, Carley, Dillon, and Meher.

Mary also had a special gift with children, and over the years she was a trusted and beloved caregiver to many young ones in the neighborhood.

Mary was one of thirteen children. She is survived by her brother Clyde and sister Sue (Lyons). She is preceded in death by her husband Virgil, her parents, and siblings Bertha (Myers), Lorene (Rose), Bud, Raymond, Ruby (Broach), Charles, Carl, Jerry, Linda (Payne), and William.

Those who knew Mary knew her kitchen table. Her Southern-style cooking - especially her biscuits, gravy, and cornbread - was legendary, made with the kind of skill and love that can’t be taught from a recipe. She had a gift for making people feel at home, whether around her dinner table or in her garden, which she tended with quiet pride. She loved a good yard sale, collecting teapots, and spending time with her family and her faithful dog, Opie. The hymns of the Smoky Mountains filled her heart, and her faith in God shaped her life of kindness, service, and love.

Mary Katherine Prater was a woman of simple, profound gifts - a good meal, a warm welcome, and a life devoted entirely to others. She will be deeply missed and forever loved. 

Refreshments to follow cemetery services at Living-word Adventist Church Fellowship Hall 508 Aquahart Rd., Glen Burnie, Md. 21061

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