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On November 14th, 2008 Jamie lost
her battle with cancer. Founder and President of Praytor Realty her
spirit will always be with us. During her battle with cancer her
Daughter, Ellen Wingard, sent out regular emails to help keep everyone
up to date with Jamie's battle with cancer.
Click here for the complete Jamie Updates. On Saturday, November
29th Barbara Drummond wrote an editorial for the Mobile Press Register
that captured so much of Jamie's spirit
(Drummond Column). Below is just a slice of the life and
legacy Jamie leaves behind (Press Register
Story). Story from Alabama Realtor
Magazine.
JAMIE C. PRAYTOR
The third child of ten offspring Jamie has
always had a strong sense of family. Growing up at the Loop in Mobile
she and her 9 brothers and sisters lived in a 3-bedroom house with 1
bathroom, but they never felt like they were doing without. Her parents
Elmer and Susan Catlin installed in her a strong work ethic and the
ability to make the most of what you have. Her father was a carpenter
by trade and his ability to create something from nothing inspired Jamie
to become a success in any endeavor she undertook. After sheparding her
flock of ten on their way, her mother, Susan, was not through with
kids. She started working with the mentally challenged children and was
part of founding the Albert P. Brewer Developmental Center. Giving back
to the community became the third corner stone of Jamie’s life.
Fresh out of Murphy
High School, Jamie went to work as a secretary in the Merchants National
Bank building. It wasn’t long before she met a young banker that caught
her eye, Tommy Praytor. To say that Tommy enjoyed life would have been
an understatement. The pair would soon become inseparable and they
married in 1959. Three children would soon follow and after 8 years of
being at home with the kids and doing charity work Jamie decided to
resume her professional career. She went to work with Gene Duke as a
real estate agent and being a realtor helping people make dreams come
true for their families was a natural fit. Jamie soon moved from agent
to Broker and sales manager hiring and training a 15 member sales team.
On August 1, 1974
Jamie opened Praytor Realty with an all female sales staff. While women
in the work place are a norm today Jamie’s all female team was
definitely unique. Labeled Praytor’s Pretties by the Birmingham News,
Praytor Realty soon became mainstream and the now familiar Praytor Daisy
started sprouting up in yards all over Mobile. While building her
company Jamie was also giving back to the Realtor community. She was
elected president of the local Board of Realtors and she soon moved on
to become President of the State Association in 1992. Along the way her
drive to succeed was balanced with her sense of family and giving back
that gained her accolades from her peers and she was chosen Realtor of
the Year in 1981. Jamie spread her commitment to giving back inside her
company. In the last 25 years, Jamie’s small company has produced 5
Realtor presidents and 4 Realtor’s of the Year. In 2008 the Mobile
Association of Realtors honored Jamie’s commitment to others by creating
the Jamie C. Praytor Community Service Award.
While building her
company Jamie was also breaking new ground as a working Mom. Real estate
was a perfect fit for a mom on the go and raising her 3 children, Tommy,
Ellen, and Wilson. Tommy followed his Mom into the real estate business
but is most well known for his passion for stock car racing. Daughter
Ellen graduated from Auburn University with an art degree and is now a
Senior Vice President at Lewis Communication. Wilson, the youngest,
followed in his grandfather’s foot steps and owns Wilson’s Services, a
contracting company. With her children grown, Jamie focused even more
energies into giving back. In 2001 She was chosen the First Lady of
Mobile.
Away form work, Jamie
and her husband Tommy developed a love for their beach house on Bare
Point and fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. The pair became fixtures of
the Mobile Big Game Fishing Club events. When not working, she can be
found spending time with her grandchildren or hosting her family and
friends at the Point.
Her most recent
advocacies are serving as Chairman of the Homeless Coalition Task Force
to end chronic homelessness, involvement with the Salvation Army and
construction of a new Women’s and children’s shelter, McKemie Place and
fund raising for the American Diabetes Association.
No commentary on
Jamie should leave out her love for and involvement in her church, All
Saint’s Episcopal.
To honor
Jamie's legacy of giving the family request, donations be made to
McKemie Place, P. O. Box 9082, Mobile,
AL 36691 or All Saints Episcopal Church, 151 S. Ann Street, Mobile,
Alabama 36604.
Listed below are some of
her outstanding achievements:
- Lifelong member of
All Saints Episcopal Church. Chair of Stewardship, member of
Vestry, President of Women of the Church, Alter Guild Group Leader
- Mobile Area
Association of Realtors – Board of Directors — Past President —
Realtor of the Year
- Alabama Association
of Realtors — Past Presiden
- National Association
of Realtors — Region 5 — Trustee representing Alabama, Florida,
Georgia, Mississippi, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
- Forward Mobile —
Member
- Appointed by Governor
of Alabama to serve on Alabama Development Office Advisory Board.
Trade missions to Japan.
- Art Patrons League —
Past Member of the Board of Directors
- Allied Arts Council —
United Arts Fund Drive Division Chair
- Mobile United —
Member of Cultural Diversity Committee, Member of Equal Opportunity
Committee
- Alabama School of
Math and Science — Advisory Board Member
- Junior Achievement —
President of the Board of Directors
- City of Mobile
Mayor’s Special Panel to Study Funding for Mobile County Schools
- University of South
Alabama – Small Business Development Center – Advisory Board
- Leadership Class of
2000 for Multiple Sclerosis
- Mobile 2000 — Board
of Directors
- Leadership Mobile —
Advisory Council on Economic Development
- Southwest Alabama
Chapter March of Dimes — Board of Directors, Chair, City and County
Mothers’ March
- American Cancer
Society — Biggest Rat
- Florence Crittenton
Home Auxiliary Board
- Board of Partnership
for a Drug Free America
- Salvation Army —
Board of Directors
- Mobile Community
Organization — Advisory Board
- Rotary International
— Mobile Sunrise Rotary Club — Past President and Secretary
- Mobile Area Chamber
of Commerce — Executive Committee
Detailed Listing of Realtor Service
& Community Involvement
National Association of
Realtors:
Director
Member, Structural Audit
committee: Sub-committee on Governance
Member, Issues
Mobilization: Regional Representative District V
Member, ARPAC Fundraising
and Participation: ARPAC Training Conference, Washington
Member, Political Affairs
Committee: Sub-committee on Consumer and Regulatory Affairs
Member, Make America
Better Committee
Member, Strategic Planning
Committee
Member, Legislative
Committee
Member, Omega Tau Rho
Member, Political
Education Fundraising Committee
Member, Public Policy
Coordinating Committee
Member, Independent
Expenditures Committee
Alabama Association of
Realtors:
Member, Board of Directors
1991 President
1990 President-elect
1989 Secretary/ Treasurer
Audit Committee
Finance Committee
Chair, Political Affairs
Sub-committee
Member, Education
Committee
Member, Strategic Planning
Committee
Member, Convention
Committee
Chair, Past Presidents
Forum
Member, Real Estate
Appraisal Committee
Member, Professional
Standards Committee
Chair, Resolutions
Committee
Co-Chair, Salesmanship
Conference
ARPAC Multi-Life Member
Member, Realtor Support
Committee
Member, CRB State Chapter
Member, CRS State Chapter
Regional Vice President,
CRS
President, CRS State
Chapter
Member, AAR Women’s
Council
President, WCR
National Delegate, WCR
Chair, WCR Ways and Means
Chair, WCR Education
Committee
Chair, WCR Nominating
Committee
Chair, WCR Membership
Chair, Fashion Show
1981 WCR Woman of the Year
Mobile Area Association Of
Realtors, Inc:
1986 President
1985 President-elect
1984 Secretary/ Treasurer
Member, Board of Directors
Member, Education
Committee
Member, Legislative
Committee
President, MLS Committee
Chair, Lock Box Committee
1992, 1980 Chair, ARPAC
Chair, Legislative
Committee
Member, Bubba Tonsmeier
Scholarship Committee
Chair, Mobilian of the
Year Committee
Chair, Take Another Look
Committee
1981 Realtor of the Year
Civic Activities:
Member, Mobile Area
Chamber of Commerce
1988-1990,
1982-1983 Member, Board of Directors
1989 Executive
Committee
Vice Chair, Public and Governmental Affairs
1989 Member,
Legislative Task Force
Member, Task
Force on Local Government
Speaker-
Chamber Meeting
1980-1984
Member, Mach 80 Industrial Task Force
1984 Public
Health Committee Representative
Member, Port
and Waterways Committee
Member, World
Trade Committee
Member,
Transportation Council
Member, Trade
Development Council
Appointed by the Governor
to the Alabama Development Office Advisory Board
Represented Alabama in
Japan at US/ Japan Trade Commission
Junior Achievement
Board of
Directors
Vice President
in charge of Business Leaders
Hall of Fame
Executive
Committee
Fund Drive and
Project Business Chair
Leadership Mobile Advisory
Council on Economic Development
Federated Junior Woman’s
Club of Mobile
Charter Member
Honorary
Member
Past President
Alabama Federation of
Women’s Clubs
Former State
Junior Director
Art Patrons League
Chair,
Calendar Sales
Celebrity Chef
Outdoor Art
Fair Transportation
Calendar
Advisory Committee
Florence Crittendon Home
Auxiliary Board
Southwest Chapter March of
Dimes
Advisory Board
Board of
Directors
Chair, Cityand
County Mothers March
Allied Arts Council
Mobile Community
Organization Advisory Board
American Cancer Society-
Biggest Rat in Town
1980 Career Woman
M.O. Beale Scroll of Merit
Alabama Public Relations
Council Newcomer Brochure Award
Member of the Sunrise
Rotary Club
Serves on Board of
Directors, Salvation Army
2001 First Lady of Mobile
Business Accomplishments:
Organized the first ARPAC
phone drive
Instrumental in forming
the Political Action Committee on the State and Local level
During term as State ARPAC
Chair, she fostered the adoption of equalized goal setting and a written
Rebate Program for local boards.
Founder of Praytor Realty
in 1974.
Member Board of Directors
of Chamber of Commerce
Served on Executive
Committee Chamber of Commerce
Recruited first and only
Golden “R” member for RPAC, from Alabama
While Chair of State ARPAC
trustees saw that Alabama met its National RPAC Goal.
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