Huber Heights woman keeps promise, becomes U.S. citizen

She made vow to her late husband, an Air Force veteran

$\uFEFFPratoon Mims \uFEFFmade good on a promise to her dying husband and became a U.S. citizen last month. She took the citizenship oath in the Federal Building in downtown Dayton. Contributed photo$

handout \uFEFFPratoon Mims \uFEFFmade good on a promise to her dying husband and became a U.S. citizen last month. She took the citizenship oath in the Federal Building in downtown Dayton. Contributed photo

ENLARGE PHOTO

Cracker Barrel manager accused of embezzling $2K
3:38 p.m.
Is your “unlimited” data being throttled?
2:32 p.m.
Kasich wants 100 gigabits per second state network, smarter smartphones
2:07 p.m.
Benefit dinner held for girl who died in car accident
2:00 p.m.
Wright-Patterson relatively unscathed in Obama defense budget
1:46 p.m.
> More headlines

By Mickey Zezzo, Contributing Writer 2:26 PM Wednesday, February 24, 2010

HUBER HEIGHTS — It’s a long haul from the tsunami-scarred shores of Thailand to the steps of the United States Courthouse in Dayton, but Pratoon Mims has made it in grand style.

Though she left her native land in 1972, long before her country was devastated by the 2004 storm, her promise to a dying American husband seven years ago to become an American citizen was realized recently at the courthouse when she took her oath of citizenship.

Her late husband, Christopher Mims, a U.S. Air Force veteran, succumbed to a 22-year battle with heart problems at the age of 75 in 2003. They met when he was stationed in Thailand and were married in Germany 36 years ago.

Mims, who grew up in a family of 10 children, was almost in tears when she left the courthouse. “Chris was always so good to me ... We had a beautiful marriage. And I have kept my promise.”

In her own way, her love story lives on in her heart. After becoming a citizen, the first place she headed to was the Veterans Cemetery in Dayton to practice a ritual she often repeats: placing a yellow rose on his grave.

“I wanted to tell him I was now American citizen,” Mims, 68, said.

“I once tell him I would become citizen when a black man becomes president. I was always surprised at the many different opinions of Americans. Now with President Obama, I had to make his wish and my promise come true.”

A family friend, Bud Willis of Huber Heights, also is an Air Force retiree and former American Legion commander at Riverside Post 776. He was a lifelong friend of Chris Mims.

“I was with them when she made the promise,” Willis said. “They were a wonderful couple. I know she visits him at the cemetery at least once a week with that yellow rose. That was his favorite color.”

Mims said the citizenship tests “were very hard. And took me long time to learn. ... We had to learn about many U.S. presidents, the Supreme Court and other American history — so passing test not easy.

“It has not been easy being without Chris ... , but I am so lucky to have friends like (Steve Ettich of Huber Heights, her fiance) and Bud. I am so glad to be American citizen now. And I know my Chris is happy, too.”

Contact this reporter at mickeyz@zoomtown.com.

Share this article