James Allen Pranger

James Pranger was born 12 September 1942 to Paul Pranger and Donna Marsh in Plymouth Indiana. In 1964 he married the girl of his dreams Miss Mary R. Reser. James wrote the following lines in an old photo album in late 1963 ” The girl of my life will be but one. Mary Ruth Reser. She is the best looking girl in Collinsville. I hope we married one day.” He spent the next forty-nine years with the girl of his dreams and raising three boys on the family farm in Collinsville, and spent many spring nights coaching the Collinsville Tigers baseball team for many years. James coached little league baseball in Collinsville for many years. He coached the team with Ernest “Butch” Harris and Bill Richards. Many of the little leaguers in Collinsville met James on the baseball diamond where the where taught the values fair play, sportsmanship, and respect. Later in life he could be seen taking the grandkids to sonic for root-beer floats or fishing. He retired from W.C. Norris of Tulsa after forty-five years as a maintenance man.

Survived by his mother Donna Marsh of Owasso, his wife of 49 ½ years Mary R. Pranger of Collinsville, their three sons and five grandchildren. His sons are: James A Pranger Jr and his wife Teri Pranger of Mannford, Mark Pranger of Collinsville and Steve Pranger and his wife of Sherry Pranger of Tulsa. Mr. Pranger had five grandchildren; Ashley Pranger, Andrew Pranger, Jeramiah Becker, Bryson Pranger and Jonathan Pranger. James Pranger had four half -sisters; Mary Lou Casey of Oklahoma, Sue White of Florida, Diana Pranger and Sara Coffin and three half- brothers, , Paul Pranger Jr and Marshall Pranger.

He was preceded in death by his father Paul Pranger, step-father Sam Marsh, half-sister Helen Pranger and half-brother Glenn Pranger – KIA Vietnam.

Visitation will be 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Sunday, March 9, 2014 at the Collinsville Dolton Funeral Home.

A Funeral Service will be 2:00 p.m., Monday, March 10, 2014 at the Collinsville Dolton Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Howard Licht officiating. Interment will follow at the Ridgelawn Cemetery.