Rubert Waldemar Prevatt, 89 Retired FSC Professor Lakeland - Dr. Rubert Prevatt passed away at home with family, of natural causes, on April 13, 2015. He was 89. Born on May 15, 1925 in Seville, Florida, he grew up working with his family in their citrus grove, and there began his love of plants and soil. Prevatt earned three degrees from the University of Florida, his BS, Masters and PhD. During this time he worked for Dr. Phillips in Orlando and had a brief stint at Cornell University doing research for his PhD. He worked with the Florida experiment station in Lake Alfred, now called the UF Citrus Research and Education Center. Following that he began a career formulating fertilizer for the Southeast US with IMC. He spent the majority of his career, from 1971-1999, as a Professor of Citrus and Horticulture at Florida Southern College and was named to the John and Ruth Tyndall Chair of the Citrus Department. He had a passion for mentoring and teaching students (who lovingly called him ""Doc,"") leaving a lasting impact on the Florida Citrus industry and culminating with an induction into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame in 2014. He would fondly recall the many lessons his students taught him and the significant impact they had on his life. He passed along his love and passion for learning to his students, children and grandchildren. Dr. Prevatt was a rose enthusiast who actually cultivated a new rose named, Dr. Prevatt. He was a director of and held life membership in the American Rose Society. Often referred to as ""Mr. Rose"", he got great joy out of raising and exhibiting roses. He and Edna built the home of their dreams in Lakeland in 1959, allowing for an entire yard full of roses for family and friends to enjoy. He thoroughly enjoyed traveling, and sponsored many trips where he took students overseas to study horticulture during his time at the college. He was recognized as a world renowned leader in the studies of citrus and horticultural, which lead him to the University of Brisbane in Australia where he taught for six months. He also served with the Agricultural Cooperative Development International and Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance which traveled to Egypt, Spain, Brazil, Belize and China, working with local farmers. He had the pleasure of traveling the world with his beloved wife and enjoyed sharing stories of the many places they had been, interesting people they met and friends they had made. He was a cherished father, grandfather, great-grandfather and husband. Married to the love of his life, Edna, for 61 years, they are now reunited. He was preceded in death by his wife, Edna. He is survived by his loving daughters, Suzanne Trueblood (Bart) and Carol Sipe (Chris); grandchildren, Nicole Chapman (Chris), AJ Trueblood, Brad Sipe, Adam Sipe, Nathan Sipe; and great-granddaughter, Katherine Anne Chapman. The family would like to extend their love and thanks to the ""angels"" who took such wonderful care of Rubert. A celebration of his life will be held at First United Methodist Church on Friday, April 17, 2015 at 2:00 pm. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Florida Southern College Citrus Program, 111 Lake Hollingsworth Dr, Lakeland, FL 33801 or First United Methodist Church, 72 Lake Morton Drive, Lakeland, FL 33801. Service: 04/17/2015 First United Methodist Church 72 Lake Morton Drive, Lakeland, FL 33801
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