Margaret Geneva Ratliff

Margaret Geneva Ratliff was born on April 14, 1934, in Kusa, OK, the daughter of Manuel Jonathan and Lillie Geneva (Reece) Sisson. She was raised in a family of two brothers and two sisters, Wilma Staton, Thelma Larson, Carl Sisson and Jimmy Sisson. At age twenty she met the love of her life, Robert; two weeks later on October 16th, 1954, they wed in Henryetta, OK. They spent 70 ½ years together, raising a family of three sons, and one daughter, Paul David, Manuel, Steven, Geneva Mae, and Robert Wayne. After marrying, they moved to Tulsa for 17 years, then relocated to Catoosa where they remained for 54 years.

For the first portion of her adult life, she stayed in the home with the rewarding job of caring for her four children and her beloved husband. She was then employed at Catoosa Public School, working in the cafeteria and later in the janitorial position. She went on from there to work as the manager of the jewelry department at Wal-Mart. With the love she had for jewelry, it was the perfect job for her. She worked there for many years, then she joined her husband in retirement. After her husband Robert’s injury, she devoted the rest of her life to being his soul caregiver; never missing a beat in her duties with much devotion and love. Some other things she occupied her time with were working side by side with Robert planting multiple gardens as well as being with him and helping on all his hunting and fishing adventures. They enjoyed many years of traveling around eastern Oklahoma and Arkansas, seeing and listening to their favorite gospel group, the Rubber Band, and bringing all the friends they could along with them. She also enjoyed doing crafts and spending as much time as possible with her grandchildren.

Margaret was a very devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She went home to see her lord Jesus on June 22, 2025. Her daughter, Geneva, often told her that she could only imagine all the jewels that would be in her crown, laughingly teasing her that it would be so heavy she wouldn't be able to hold her head up.

She was preceded in death by her father and mother, Manuel and Lillie Sisson, her husband Robert Ratliff, one son Manuel Ratliff, three sisters Wilma Staton and husband buddy, Mertie Sisson and Thelma Larson, two brothers Carl Sisson and wife Judy, Jimmy Sisson and wife Betty.

Those left to cherish the wonderful memories include her children Paul Ratliff and wife Lisa of Broken Arrow, OK, Robert Ratliff and wife Brenda of Hulbert, OK and Geneva Nuding of Tulsa, OK. She also leaves behind her eight grandchildren, Christopher Van Dyke and wife Sasha, Robin Ratliff, Tiffany Ratliff, Michael Nuding, Jonathan Nuding and wife Kyleigh, Kallie Ratliff and fiancé Dillan Lyman, John Ballard, and Anna Ratliff with companion Parker Evans. She also leaves five great grandchildren, Tristan Ratliff, Laina Van Dyke and companion Victor Rivero, Adelina Lyman, Eliana Lyman and Austyn Mae Nuding, arriving in September, one niece Nancy Kingsriter and nephew David Sisson, along with two sister-in-law’s and two brother-in-law’s, multiple nieces and nephews, and her husband Robert's family. Also, some very special friends, David and Marie Yoder, Audrey Jacobs, her friend since grade school, and a special thanks to two beautiful, wonderful ladies that became dear friends to her, that spent every day and many, many hours sitting with her laughing and telling stories and loving on her for the last year, and then spent hours sitting by her bed the last four days of her life, Alice Willis and Maria Chastain, true angels given to Margaret in her time of need. Thank you!

A visitation for Margaret will be held Saturday, June 28, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Reed-Culver Funeral Home, 117 West Delaware Street, Tahlequah, Oklahoma. A funeral service will occur Monday, June 30, 2025 at 2:00 PM at Reed-Culver Funeral Home.

Margaret will be laid to rest in Pettit Cemetery, Park Hill, Oklahoma.

Serving as pallbearers are Christopher Van Dyke, Michael Nuding, Jonathan Nuding, Tristan Ratliff, Victor Rivero, and Lamar Yoder. Honorary Pallbearers include Joe Holland, John Ballard, Dillon Lyman and Parker Evans.