When you're trying to find Pratt funeral home obits, you'd think it would be a straightforward Google search. But honestly? It's a bit of a maze because there isn't just one "Pratt Funeral Home."
Depending on whether you are looking for a long-time resident of Newberry, South Carolina, or someone from the rolling hills of Richland Center, Wisconsin, you're going to end up in two very different places. Losing someone is hard enough. You don't need the added stress of digital hide-and-seek when you just want to find a service time or leave a digital candle for a friend.
The Tale of Two Pratts: Wisconsin vs. South Carolina
Basically, there are two major family-owned institutions that people usually mean when they search for these records.
First, you've got Pratt Funeral and Cremation Service in Wisconsin. They’ve been around since 1889. That is not a typo. Fred Pratt started the business 137 years ago, and they are still a staple in Richland Center and Muscoda. They actually installed the first crematory in Richland County, which was a huge deal for the area at the time. If you’re looking for someone like Lincoln Charles Luck or Kenny Dvorak, who both passed recently in early 2026, this is your spot.
Then there is F. B. Pratt & Son Funeral Home down in Newberry, South Carolina.
This one has a massive legacy in the African-American community. Founded in 1929 by Fred B. Pratt Sr., it’s been a family-run pillar for nearly a century. Currently, Wayne K. Pratt Sr. leads the team with over 47 years of experience. They handle a lot of the local records for Newberry and surrounding areas like Prosperity and Silverstreet. Recent 2026 entries include names like Bobby Joe Henderson, who was a well-known figure in the Newberry community before his passing in January.
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Why You Can't Always Find the Obit You're Looking For
It’s frustrating. You type the name into a search bar and... nothing. This happens more than you’d think with local funeral homes.
Sometimes the family chooses a private service. Other times, there’s a delay between the passing and the official write-up because, well, life is messy. Writing an obituary is an emotional hurdle. If you are looking for Pratt funeral home obits and the page looks empty, it might just be that the "Service of Remembrance" hasn't been finalized yet.
Also, keep in mind that legacy sites like Legacy.com or Tribute Archive often scrape these records, but the most "real-time" info is always going to be on the funeral home's actual website.
Checking the Right Digital Porch
For the Wisconsin crowd, you want to head to prattfuneralservice.com. They have a "Recent Obituaries" section that is usually updated within 24 to 48 hours of a death.
If you are looking for the South Carolina records, the home base is fbpratt.com. They have a very clean "Obituary Listings" page. One thing I've noticed about the Newberry site is that they often include "Tribute Walls" where people can post photos. It’s a lot more interactive than the old-school newspaper clippings our grandparents used to save.
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What Most People Get Wrong About Local Obits
A lot of people think an obituary is a legal requirement. It's not.
It is a tribute.
Because it’s a tribute, the details are often curated by the family. If you see a name that doesn't match what you remember—maybe a nickname like "Jo Jo" for Joseph Keith Stalley—that’s because these records are deeply personal. They aren't government documents; they are stories.
Another thing? The "public viewing" times. People often confuse the viewing with the funeral service. At the Fred B. Pratt Memorial Chapel in Newberry, they often hold public viewings on Fridays with the "Celebration of Life" on Saturdays. Missing that distinction means missing your chance to say goodbye.
A Quick Map of Locations
- Richland Center, WI: 120 N. Park St. (The main hub with the on-site crematory).
- Muscoda, WI: They have a secondary chapel here to serve the rural community.
- Newberry, SC: 601 South Street. This is the historic brick building that has seen generations of families walk through its doors.
How to Actually Use These Records
If you’re doing genealogy, these Pratt funeral home obits are gold mines. They often list maiden names, birthplaces (like Manhattan, NY, or Plainfield, NJ, which pop up in the South Carolina records surprisingly often), and surviving siblings.
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- Search by Maiden Name: If the married name isn't working, try the birth name.
- Look for "Pre-need" notes: Sometimes the obituary mentions that the person had a "Pre-need" plan. This is a hint for researchers that more detailed records might exist in the funeral home's private archives.
- Check the "Tribute Book": Some of these sites, especially the one in Newberry, allow you to download a PDF of the actual funeral program. That’s where the real history is—the poems, the favorite scriptures, and the full list of cousins.
Practical Steps for Your Search
If you are currently looking for a specific record from late 2025 or early 2026, start by verifying the state. It sounds simple, but the "Pratt" name is common enough that people frequently end up looking at a dairy farmer's obit in Wisconsin when they wanted a deacon from South Carolina.
Once you're on the right site, use the "Filter" or "Sort" function. Don't just scroll. Most of these databases allow you to sort by "Date of Death" or "Service Date." If the person passed away recently, like Eula Mae Rivers or John Wesley Brown, they will be right at the top.
If you still can't find it, honestly, just call them. Both of these businesses pride themselves on being "family-owned" and "compassionate." They would much rather spend two minutes on the phone helping you find a service time than have you wandering around the internet frustrated.
Actionable Next Step: If you need to find a specific obituary right now, navigate directly to the "Obituary Listings" tab on either fbpratt.com (for SC) or prattfuneralservice.com (for WI) rather than relying on a general search engine. This ensures you see the most current service updates and any last-minute changes to the location or time.