Dr. Allen Robert Pratt

(Donated to Nature Conservancy of Canada)

Dear Joan and Karen We know this is a very sad time for you. We grew to respect Allen's work at our beach and enjoyed our conversations with him. We hope to see you both back at Sunset Beach soon.

Allen was a wonderful collaborator and friend, generous, thoughtful, intelligent and supportive of young researchers. A calming and funny presence on synchrotron trips. We are better people having known him. Thank you for the sphalerite's Allen, Enargite will always be yours. Our heartfelt condolences to Joan and Karen. He will be sadly missed.

Dear Joan: I am so very sorry to read of your loss in the paper today. Words fail at a time like this... I had the privilege of seeing Allen a number of times at Western for coffee and a chat and he always struck me as a warm-hearted, decent, very intelligent and honourable man. He will be missed and he was lucky to have been married to you. My deepest condolences, Joan.

Dear Joan, I am so sorry for your loss. I have the fondest memories of your care for Jane. I am sending thoughts and prayers, and my sincere condolences.

Allen was my oldest cousin. Even though I was younger, I never forget Allen as a kid both at Belleville and Nighthawk. One fond memory I will always treasure is when Allen brought me skidooing for the first time in the bush and I was injured by a twig in my eye.. Allen comfort me and first aid. He knew what to do. It was cold too. Once I was ok..he brought me skidooing again. He taught me to drive a skidoo and I still drive one today...My condolences to Allen's family and friends.

dear Joan and Karen, it is with great sadness that i write and struggle to find the right/best words to mark such a tragedy. Allen was one of the really good guys in our world. Quiet, intelligent, thoughtful, kind, respectful to all. i was unaware of his illness until the extremely sad news of his passing last week. i wish i had tried to see him (and you) over the years since i left Western. i was unaware of his life-saving history but it doesn't surprise me. i trust that with time, the pain of his loss will diminish and you will be able to treasure his memory with pleasure for the time that you had together. with my greatest condolences

I have very fond memories of Allen and the thoughtful inspiration he always provided to me. Allen and I went way back to my early days at Surface Science Western and continued with ongoing research investigations while he was at CANMET. I will say he embodied the word of "inspiration" whether it be to young graduates or discussing ideas with early career faculty. Allen touch all of our lives and I will say that I am a better person & scientist for it.

I am absolutely shocked and saddened to learn that Allen has passed away. I worked with him during 1994-1999 in the group of Prof. Nesbitt at Western. I was just starting my PhD as he was finishing his. We had a great time together at the department and I learnt a lot from him in the beginning of my PhD, including on-hands training at how to measure samples on the XPS instrument. I will miss you, Allen and I consider myself blessed and fortunate that I got the chance to know you and learn a lot from you. R.I.P.

(Donated to Nature Conservancy of Canada)

(Donated to Nature Conservancy of Canada)

Dear Joan and Karen, On behalf of Sunset Beach Cottagers, we offer our sincere condolences. Allen worked hard on our behalf on the road, gulley and hill, teaching us proper stewardship. He will be missed.

(Donated to Nature Conservancy of Canada)

(Donated to Nature Conservancy of Canada)

(Donated to Nature Conservancy of Canada)

(Donated to Nature Conservancy of Canada)

(Donated to Nature Conservancy of Canada)

(Donated to Nature Conservancy of Canada)

(Donated to Nature Conservancy of Canada)

(Donated to Nature Conservancy of Canada)

(Donated to Nature Conservancy of Canada)

(Donated to Nature Conservancy of Canada)

I was fortunate to have Allen Pratt as a graduate student. Having come from Paleontology he had little background in geochemistry or knowledge of analytical equipment upon arrival in our lab. His intellect, dedication and practical approach to problems resulted in publication of 4 papers and a completed thesis within three and one-half years. His modesty, intellectual and ethical integrity made him a wonderful person and a great friend. I am thankful to have known you Allen, and I miss you greatly. Joan and Karen, there wasn’t another like him -- cherish his memory because we are all better for his having touched our lives.

Thinking of you at this time Dave, Natasha and family. Love to you all.

Our deepest condolences on your family's loss. Your memories of Allen will keep him alive in your heart and thoughts.

My deepest condolences to all of you. Your memories are treasures that will keep him alive in your hearts and minds, love to all of you.

Allen left the world much too soon, but he did not leave it without changing it for the better: his work as an environmentally-minded scientist and his love for his family and friends and animal friends leave an indelible signature of his presence with us. Peace be with all who mourn his loss. And may light perpetual shine upon him. We send you our blessings and condolences from Ottawa, Ken, Suzanne and Sophia

My deepest condolences. I have very fond memories of Allen and the time we spent working together in Quebec and Manitoba in the late 80's - he helped a young Irish guy make the transition to life in Canada. I will never forget him.

Joan, my heartfelt condolences to you and Karen. I am so very sorry for your loss.

Joan & Karen, I am so very sorry. My thoughts and prayers continue to be with you.

Allen Pratt was a quiet, unassuming guy in a pretty abrasive and egotistical environment. At the same time he was busy and bright in his own quiet way. He was the kind of person you need in real dire straits. Twice (to my knowledge) he saved the lives of those in need. Once at field camp on the north shore of Lake Huron he pulled two students from the water when their canoe overturned near a waterfall. Another was (sadly) drowned. On another occasion he saved the life of a fellow-geologist when he disappeared through thin ice into deep water. Too bad that no-one could rescue Allen, He was too young and far too nice a guy. All condolences to his family.

Joan, we were so sorry to hear about Allen, and you, and Karen, are in our thoughts so much.

A calm voice in a storm, an absolute joy to work with and a privilege to have known. I will remember him every time I look at an interesting mineral, use an XPS or even hear the word "hockey". Allen always "kept his stick on the ice" and inspired others to do the same. We'll miss you mate!

My deepest condolences to you Adrian and your extended family

One day Allen gave me a small envelope containing plastic pellets he'd picked up off the beach on Lake Huron. Having heard about my work concerning plastics pollution in marine settings, he thought it might interest me to do the same type of work closer to home. Without his "gift" I would not have started a successful and on-going study of plastics pollution along the Great Lakes. I thank him so much for that. To his family -- Mark and I send you our heartfelt condolences and hope there is comfort in knowing how many lives Allen touched.

Dearest Joan and Karen...Allen lived with me and various other 50 somethings all these years he commuted back and forth between Ottawa and London. He was the perfect houseguest: quiet, respectful, good company, a gentleman. All the Ottawa family grieves the loss of Allen: Jorge, Ray, Leslie, Joan S., Agneta. We shall miss his gentle presence in our home. We all loved Allen dearly and are so, so sorry for your loss.

I first meet Allen when he was a graduate student, he had kindly offered to help me with some SEM analyses for my undergraduate thesis. Over the years since then, we shared an office for a time and worked together on a number of very interesting projects. He was a keen advocate for X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and for the Canadian Light Source. Allen and I had many long conversations about these topics and others and I was always impressed with his insights. Allen had a great sense of humour and many funny stories to tell. He will be greatly missed.

I never had the pleasure of meeting Allen, but he sounds like a wonderful man. My thoughts are with you and the family at this difficult time.

I am deeply saddened to hear of Allen's very untimely passing. Please accept warmest wishes and condolences. I only knew Allen a short time before he would save my life on a wintry night having fallen through some thin ice. For Allen, he would not know he would become a hero on the very day he defended his PhD dissertation, two events that could be hardly imagined to occur within hours of each other. Late in the evening, I fell through some thin snow covered ice into deep freezing water and Allen reached through the pitch black water, found me, and pulled me out, saving my life. While Allen would view such heroics without cause for fanfare, his selfless action, which took but a moment, will never be forgotten.

Dear Joan, My deepest sympathy to you and to Karen. I am deeply sorry for your loss and am holding you both in prayer during these difficult days.

We are very deeply saddened by Allen's passing. He was a great friend and colleague during our time together at Western. The graduate community that we all enjoyed was a better place with Allen in it and we shared many moments and experiences during those years. He was an excellent sounding board for anyone who approached him and treated each person with tremendous respect. Our sincerest condolences to Joan and Karen. He was a very gentle and caring man.

Dear Joan, I have been thinking of you & Karen often during this last little while. I'm so deeply saddened to know of the loss of your best friend/hubby & Karen's Dad. I only met Allen once, (delivering microwave) and he seemed such a kind soul. I know he will be missed by all who knew him. I hold you & yours close to my heart, sending much love & hugs... Jan

My deepest condolences to you Joan and Karen. I keep very good memories of Allen after working with him several years at CANMET. Allen was such a nice person, too young to die.