Mary Walker Ratliff, 79, died Friday at St Martin’s in the Pines nursing care facility in Birmingham. Mrs. Ratliff was a lifelong resident of Huntsville. Her ancestors held the first recorded deed to property in Madison County near Plevna and New Market Alabama.
She was preceded in death by her husband Dean G Ratliff. They were married for 53 years prior to his death in 2010. She is survived by three children, Susan Ratliff of Huntsville, Alabama, Mike Ratliff of Boca Raton, Florida and Laurie Thompson of Birmingham; five grandchildren; and three great grandchildren.
Mrs. Ratliff attended Auburn University, enrolling in the School of Education. While at Auburn Mrs. Ratliff was a member of Alpha Delta Pi social sorority along with several professional clubs. Mrs. Ratliff continued her education while raising her three children and obtained her degree in Elementary Education from Athens State. She taught fourth grade classes for twenty-five years in the Huntsville City School system, retiring in 1998. During this period, she taught at Challenger, Jones Valley and Mountain Gap elementary schools. She was a member of Alpha Delta Kappa Professional Education Sorority and was active in a number of charitable organizations, especially The American Cancer Society. She was a member of Les Joyeuses Social Club, the Lit Wits Book Club, and a proud member of the Power Lunch Club made up of the 1956 graduates of Huntsville High School.
Mrs. Ratliff was an active member of First Baptist Church and served it in many capacities. She was a member of various Sunday school classes and was continuously involved for many years in the Huntsville Bible Study Fellowship (BSF). She taught conversational English to Internationals and assisted in the reading program for underprivileged children at First Baptist. She and her parents and brother were founding members of South Side Baptist Church when services were initially held in a tent.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Laughlin Service Funeral Home. A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Maple Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Light Women’s Center in Birmingham, Alabama.
