James Leo PROST

Prost, James (Jim) Leo, Thursday, December 3, 2020 at the age of 87. Loving husband of 59 years to Joan C. (nee McBride) who preceded him in death. Also preceding him in death is daughter Shelley (Robert) Helms. Jim was a loving Father to surviving children Julia (Kenneth) Willis, Kimberly (Douglas) Cissell, James Scott (Denise) Prost and Kurt (Macii) Prost. Also preceding Jim in death are parents Leo G. and Alberta R. (nee Naumann) Prost, siblings Betty Lee (Richard) Bertocki, William Prost and Robert (Roberta) Prost. He leaves behind a surviving sister, Patricia (Bill) Mannion. He was Grandfather of 16, to Bryan, Michelle, Philip, Alex, Jacob, Adam, Paige, Cole, Anthony, Erik, Jennifer, Jaclyn, Isaac, Elizabeth (Ellie), Noah & Andrew (Drew). Great Grandfather of 12, to Bailey, Meadow, Alice, Olivia, Cameron, Kendyll, Nevaeh, Mia, Myles, Taylor, Emma and Beau, with a 13th, Aiden, due to make his debut in January 2021. Born on February 27, 1933 and raised in North St. Louis City, he would leave De Andreis High School during his senior year in April 1951 to serve his country and enlist in the United States Air Force, serving overseas in Korea and during the Korean Conflict, attaining the rank of Airman 1st Class, and being Honorably Discharged in April, 1955. Later that same year, Jim was accepted to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, receiving his commission on November 7, 1955 and entered the St. Louis Police Academy. Upon his graduation on January 27, 1956 he was assigned to the Old 4th District, where less than two months later on March 16, 1956 he and his partner, Officer Thomas Mulrooney, would unsuspectingly walk into a holdup at a tavern at Ninth and Mullanphy Streets. Both officers would sustain gunshot wounds when one of the two suspects who was armed with a sawed-off shotgun would discharge the weapon while scuffling with Officer Mulrooney. The blast would strike the officer in the upper left thigh with a few pellets striking Officer Prost, though not seriously wounding him. Officer Prost returned fire from his service revolver as the suspects fled in a stolen vehicle. That vehicle would later be recovered with a pistol inside which was traced to one of the suspects who was an ex-convict. Both suspects would be subsequently arrested with both pleading guilty and given life sentences in the Missouri State Penitentiary. On a solemn note, for Officer Mulrooney, the days that followed the robbery were a struggle for life and he would succumb to his wounds a little over a month later on April 20, 1956. He was sixty-six years of age. This incident was published in the Official Detective Magazine in the July 1956 issue, and later in the book titled IN THE LINE OF DUTY, published in 2014. Jim would go on to be given assignments in the Mobile Reserve Section in September 1961, and the Canine Section in February, 1963 where he would train and patrol with his canine partners. His four-legged partners’ names of Duke, Ralph and Thor will always be cherished in the memories of his children as well as many others. Jim was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in October, 1979, and subsequently transferred to the 4th District where he would remain until his retirement in May, 1985 after serving 29.49 years of faithful and dedicated service to the Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department and to the citizens of St. Louis. Jim would always be remembered by his children while he was an active police officer when, at dinnertime, he would be dressed in his uniform and prepared for work, yet would sit down at the table wearing a cooking apron to prevent food stains on his uniform. He was known for being prim and proper, having pressed dress trousers and uniform shirt along with clean and shiny leather and polished brass. After his retirement from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department in 1985, Jim went on to work as a security officer for the then known McDonnell Douglas Corporation (later Boeing Corporation) for nine years before fully retiring. Jim married his beautiful bride Joan on June 14, 1958 at St. Kevin’s Church in St. Ann, Missouri. They would first settle in St. Ann where they began to expand their family birthing daughters Julia, Kimberly and Shelley, and first son Scott. Shortly after the birth of Scott, Jim and Joan would pack up the family moving into a newly built house in Maryland Heights where their second son, Kurt, was born. They would raise their children in the St. Blaise Parish. Jim was a beacon of strength to his family and many around him. Jim often spoke of how proud he was of his children, and finding comfort in knowing that he and Joan’s parenting led to all having successful careers. He and Joan’s doors were always open to their grandchildren and great-grandchildren, being there in times of need with help in watching the children. Jim was an avid trout fisherman and passed that passion on to his sons; always ensuring he took vacation during the month of August each summer to take them trout fishing for a week at Bennett Springs State Park, where always a good time was had. Then, as his grandchildren starting to arrive he looked forward to sharing that passion with them. He loved his daily morning crossword and word search puzzle challenges all the while drinking a pot of coffee as there was always a hot pot a java ready for the drinking. He loved working in his garden and pond, and would often work in the yard from sun up to sun down. He loved his favorite sweatshirt, pair of jeans and tennis shoes. He loved trout fishing. He loved football and would often call his son Kurt during the games and talking play-by-play with him. He loved baseball and the St. Louis Cardinals. He would either watch the game on TV or listen on the radio while sitting on his back patio admiring his hard work at landscaping. He loved eating out having breakfast or dinners with his family. Always caring for his family, when parting ways he would ask: “How far do you have to go? Ring me when you get home”. He loved talking war stories of policing with his son Scott, who had also become a St. Louis Metropolitan Police Officer. Did we mention he loved his trout fishing? He loved, most of all, his family. Jim’s remains will be cremated and interned with his wife, Joan, at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery during a private service for immediate family only. A Mass and Memorial Service will be held at a later date.

James Leo PROST

February 27, 1933 - December 3, 2020