Faith C. (Kaminsky) Tumidalsky Pratt

Faith C. Tumidalsky Pratt (nee Kaminsky) 86 of Merrillville, formerly of Hobart and Whiting, passed away peacefully on Friday, December 10, 2021 at Towne Centre, Merrillville. She was the beloved wife of the late Morris W. Pratt (ret. HPD) who passed away on March 26, 2018. She is survived by two sons, Benedict (late Patricia) Tumidalsky and Robert (Madge) Tumidalsky; cherished grandmother of Tony (Daniella) Wilson, Ben Tumidalsky, Jennifer Hilleman and Robert Tumidalsky; dear great grandma of Nora, Robert, Anthony and Allie; many dear nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. She was also preceded in death by her sister, Mary Monica Kaminsky and brother, Joseph “Ted” Kaminsky.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, December 15, 2021 at 10:00am at the Baran Funeral Home, 1235-119^th St., Whiting; a Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10:30am at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Whiting, with the Rev. Mark R. Peres, C.PP.S., officiating; interment, St. John Cemetery, Hammond; visitation at the funeral home on Tuesday from 3:00 to 7:00 pm. The St. John Rosary Society, together with the St. John Adult Choir and members of the parish will offer prayers at the funeral home on Tuesday at 4:00pm. (Due to the current health situation face masks must be worn and social distancing is expected.) The Mass will be live-streamed at www.stjohnbap.org. Expressions of sympathy may be placed on-line at www.baranfh.com.

Faith Pratt was born on January 5, 1935 to Joseph and Anne (Kornidas) Kaminsky and was a lifelong resident of the Calumet Region. She was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Whiting and the St. John Rosary Society. Faith was a very talented and accomplished pianist and organist. She began her church organist career in high school at Sacred Heart Church, East Chicago. The pastor, Fr. Duray would drive her to the church to play the morning Mass and then deliver her to Catholic Central (Bishop Noll Institute). She had been the organist/ choir director at St. John in Whiting for many years of four decades. During that time, she developed the St. John Alleluia Choir, Madrigal Singers, produced the St. John Adult Choir Christmas Album in 1982, orchestrated the organ dedication concert 1976, centennial concert in 1997, developed the St. John Pirohi Makers and was musical director for two productions of the Sound of Music in 1965 and 1979 at the Marian Theatre Guild. She had been the music director for St. Victor Church, Calumet City, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Valparaiso, the Pennsylvania Avenue Players, the City of Whiting Centennial Chorus and was the first director of the Whiting Park Festival Orchestra Chorus. She had played and sang for countless weddings throughout Lake County Indiana. Faith had a Master Gardener Certificate from Purdue University and was a volunteer for Community Hospital, Munster and Meals on Wheels. She was retiree of the Amoco Oil Company, Chicago. Devoted to her family, community and music, Faith will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved her. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the St. John Church Organ Fund, 1849 Lincoln Ave., Whiting, IN 46394 would be appreciated. Music Matters!  

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