Susan Kay Prather, 67, of Indianola, Iowa, passed away Thursday, October 31, 2026, at EveryStep Kavanaugh House in Des Moines, Iowa.

Susan was born on April 30, 1959, in Iowa, to Richard Janes and Jeanne (Hanson) Janes. She grew up in Webster City, Iowa, and graduated from Webster City High School. She previously worked at the Area Education Agency (AEA) in Fort Dodge and later at Terrus Real Estate Group in Des Moines.

She married Wayne Prather, and together they raised their children, Sara and Jared. They moved to Coalville, Iowa, and later to Indianola to be closer to relatives. Wayne passed away in 2017. After Wayne’s passing, Susan spent a good amount of time with her son Jared and his dog Denzel (Big D). She later moved in with her daughter Sara, son-in-law Chris, and granddaughters Ashlynn and Adeline, along with the family dogs Ollie and Desi, whom she came to love.

In those years she enjoyed going places with the family to listen to music, dancing with those she loved, and visiting the adult daycare center where she made friends. She was the informal volleyball mascot for the high school team, and loved cheering on Ashlynn and Adeline at their games. She also traveled with the family to gymnastics events, often hours away, and had a well-known sweet tooth. She was frequently caught sneaking candy into her room and hiding it in her drawers.

Susan is survived by her daughter, Sara (Chris) Short; her son, Jared Prather; granddaughters, Ashlynn and Adeline; three sisters; two brothers; and many friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne; and her parents, Richard and Jeanne.

Cremation has taken place, with a private family gathering to follow.