Patricia Louise Ratcliff

Patricia Louise Ratcliff, 68, of Conover, passed away on Monday, November 10, 2014 at Catawba Regional Hospice after a year of declining health. Ms. Ratcliff was born July 6, 1946 in Madison, WI, Ms. Ratcliff was preceded in death by her parents, Barbara Grabill Ratcliff of Morganton and Roy William Ratcliff of Davenport, Iowa.

Ms. Ratcliff was a 1964 graduate of Morganton High School and a 1970 East Carolina University graduate where she received an AB degree in Sociology. Ms. Ratcliff was an Army Community Service Specialist with the Civil Service and served in Fort Knox, KY, Chicago, IL, Kankakee, IL, Baumholder, Germany, Korea and Camp Zama, Japan. After 33 years with the Civil Service, Ms. Ratcliff retired to North Carolina. Following her retirement from the Civil Service, Ms. Ratcliff worked part-time with the Catawba County Council on Aging where she was a SHIPP counselor for Medicare.

As a breast cancer survivor, Ms. Ratcliff began volunteering at the Resource Center of Catawba Valley Medical Center. She was one of the people instrumental in getting the Wig Bank open. She was a member of and the 2014 Honorary Volunteer for the Susan G. Komen Foothills Race for the Cure. Ms. Ratcliff was a volunteer for the Catawba County Council on Aging as a tax preparer, a volunteer for Reach for Recovery for the American Cancer Society and Catawba County Breast Cancer Coalition, American Red Cross (Hickory Chapter), Armed Forces Emergency Services and the Catawba AARP.

She is survived by her brother, Bill Ratcliff and his wife Beverly of Statesville; sisters, Susan G. Ratcliff of Hickory and JoAnn Loggins of Morganton, Debbie Bianchi and husband Tony and Velda Kibler and husband Dave of Clinton, IA; thirteen nieces and nephews and seven great nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held at 1:00 p.m., on Saturday, November 15, 2014 in the Chapel of Drum Funeral Home in Hickory with Rev. Kim Dowell of Hospice officiating. The family will receive friends following the service at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Catawba County Wig Bank, 3936 Golf Drive, Conover NC 28613, Catawba Regional Hospice, 3975 Robinson Road, Newton, NC 28658 or NC Foothills Affiliate of Susan G. Komen, PO Box 2667, Hickory, NC 28603.