Diana Vela Prater

Diana Vela Prater passed away on February 10, 2022 surrounded by friends and family.
She was born May 14, 1956, to parents Albert Vela and Kathleen Vela (neé Roby) in Bethesda, Maryland. The daughter of an Army soldier, she moved with her family across the United States, spending time in Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, Hawaii, West Virginia, and Washington DC and even abroad in Germany. As the oldest of six children, Diana often helped watch her siblings in addition to playing and annoying them.
Diana graduated from Ozark High School in Alabama in 1974. She continued her education attending several colleges, eventually graduating from Christopher Newport College, now Christopher Newport University, on January 13, 1985, with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. Diana spent much of her career working as a Systems Analyst for Newport News Shipbuilding and later Bank of America.
On June 2, 1984, Diana married the love of her life Mark Prater. On December 30, 1986, Diana and Mark were blessed with a “preemie” child, Benjamin Albert Prater. Less than a year later he entered the gates of heaven on January 16, 1987. Her favorite job was being a mother. So, it was special when Mark and Diana were blessed with a second child. On February 10, 1988, when she gave birth to her second child Brian James Prater who survives to this day.
Diana’s outlook on life was work to live, and she lived for her family and friends. A lodestone for her family, many family events were centered at her house. It was routine to have Thanksgiving dinner held at her house. Many birthdays and celebrations felt incomplete without her presence. Diana was a woman who could not be kept still for long. This was in part due to the copious amount of coffee she drank, she needed to be kept busy with a project.
She could be found working on various crafts such as sewing, cross-stitch, and quilting, or helping/hanging out with various friends and family members. She could be found frequenting movie theaters with her son or husband. She often met her siblings at the local Starbucks to get her coffee fix. Recently she could be found volunteering at her church, Christ the King Episcopal church in Tabb VA. She kept active until cancer took her to heaven.
Diana was preceded in death by her mother. She is survived in death by all who loved her including her husband, Mark Prater; son, Brian Prater and daughter-in-law Victoria Cooper; father, Albert Vela; siblings, Susan Stark, Gus Vela, Tom and Chun Vela, Tamera and Bill Dowd, Karyn and Scott Dupree. While Diana had no biological grandchildren, she is survived in death by all who knew her as Nannie (Grandmother and Aunt) including Katie Pickrell, Jessica Stark, Lauren Stuhldreher, William Stuhldreher, Rosemary Stuhldreher, Olivia Lucido, Avery Lucido, Melody Lucido, Cash and Lily Gates, and Nathalie Dupree.
The funeral service will be held at Christ the King Episcopal Church (4109 Big Bethel Road, Tabb, VA 23693) on Saturday March 5, 2022, at 10:30 AM.
The family asks in lieu of sending flowers a donation is made to cancer research through St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Diana’s name.