Treva Pauline Ratliff

Treva Pauline Ratliff (Simpson) was born January 15, 1941 in Glendale, CA to parents Guy and Ethel Simpson. Her mother died from rheumatic fever complications when Treva was age 2. Since her parents were from Nebraska, many trips were made to and from CA. at the age of 4 Treva went to live with her Aunt Beulah and Uncle Fred Miles in Gandy, NE. She started in a one room school, grades kindergarten through 8. Guy came from CA and married the kindergarten teacher which made another move back to CA. Treva was promoted ahead from 1 to 2nd grade early according to CA standards. After one year, the family moved to Arnold, NE to take over the farm and did so during the 1949 worst snow blizzard in years. There was no heater in the car. During that time, for 4 years, Treva went to another one room country school, walking one mile each way, just like “Little House on The Prairie.” In 1950, a sister was born and in 1952 a brother. Guy thought nothing of taking Treva out of school in the middle of the year, every time a move was made. The farm didn’t work out so in Jan. the family went back to Gandy, NE to live temporarily while Guy went looking for a job. He found one in Cheyanne, WY and they lived nearby in Wellington, CO for a year while finding a house in Cheyenne. There were two more moves there which meant different schools again in the middle of the year. Finally settling down, Treva graduated from Cheyenne Central High School in 1958. She worked as a telephone switchboard operator for the next 4 years at the telephone company. Another brother was born in 1961 making a total of 20 years between he and Treva.

In 1962, Treva married 2/Lt USAF Garry L. Ratliff, a Deputy Combat Crew Commander on the Atlas E Intercontinental Ballistic Missile System (ICBM). Garry’s next assignment was Intelligence with numerous assignments in the next several years. This required moving 10 times in 20 years, including Germany and Arlington, VA for an assignment in the Pentagon in the field of Intelligence. In 1974, the last assignment before retirement was The USAF Survival School, Fairchild AFB, Spokane, WA. Gary retired in 1980 at the rank of Major, and soon after taught at Sacajawea Middle School for the next 22 years before retiring a second time, June 2002. Treva belonged to Trinity Baptist Church and worked as chief custodian for 20 years retiring as “Secretary of The Interior.” She also taught 4 year olds in Sunday School for 27 years.

Treva is preceeded in death by her parents, stepmother Frieda Simpson, stillborn granddaughter Erica Kae Quirke. She is survived by husband Garry L. Ratliff, daughter Kimberly and Greg Quirke, Gilroy, CA, son Kenneth Duane Ratliff, West Covina, CA, granddaughter Ashton Quirke, grandson Branson Quirke both of Gilroy, CA, sister Sharon and Robert Wright, New Albany, IN, brothers Bob and Michelle Simpson, Cheyenne, WY, Randy and Debbie Simpson, Norwalk, IA, cousin Janet Velasco, Leona Valley, CA, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service for Treva will be held Saturday, March 19, 2022 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Trinity Baptist Church, 6528 N Monroe St, Spokane, WA 99208.