Eileen Prather

Eileen Marie [Carey] Prather passed away on July 11, 2025, after a long illness. She is survived by her niece, Amber Rollstin, along with her grandniece and grandnephew, and a collection of devoted long-time friends, many of whom consider her chosen family.

Born in upstate New York in 1955, Eileen attended college in Massachusetts before moving to Kentucky, where she met her husband, Charly. She eventually called Arizona her home in the late 1980s, carving out a successful career, first in marketing and later as a paralegal with a talent for legal editing. Charly passed away in 2007, and in 2017, Eileen sold her home and most of her belongings to embrace the full-time RV lifestyle that had been her dream for many years. Accompanied by her much-loved dogs, Trax and Sally, she roamed the western United States, finding joy and freedom in nature’s quieter corners. (She wrote about her travels at makintrax.com).

When she first learned of her diagnosis in early 2020, Eileen and her dogs settled in Apache Junction, Arizona. True to her pragmatic nature, she faced the illness with courage and grace—defying expectations and continuing to work from home in a role she truly loved.

Eileen was preceded in death by her husband, Charly; by Charly’s mother, who held a special place in her heart; and by her nephew, Christopher, whose passing deeply affected her.

She will be remembered for her unshakable kindness, dry wit, and quiet strength. It is difficult to express what her absence means to those who loved her. In 2015, Eileen wrote: "Let’s not be like those old holiday lights where one missing bulb makes the whole string go dark. I believe that our loved ones would want us to keep shining brightly even in their absence.”

With immeasurable love and respect, we say goodbye. Thank you for your friendship, your laughter, and the light you shared with all of us, Eileen.

To honor Eileen’s memory, those who wish may make a donation to the pet charity she supported—The charity is Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. https://bestfriends.org/sanctuary