Laura Cathryn Ratliff

Laura Cathryn Ratliff was the first of eight children born to Frank & Maggie (Wilson) Ratliff. She was born Oct. 10, 1923 on a farm nine miles south of Ft. Cobb. She passed from this life June 22, 2011 after a long battle with cancer at her home in Ok. City where she had lived fifty years.

She started school at South Pioneer School. In 9th grade she went to Ft. Cobb High School two years. Moving with her family to eastern Oklahoma, she graduated high school at Adair, Ok. She attended Northeastern College in Tahlequah two years, then taught at a one room school at Delaware. She continued her schooling in summers. She received a BS degree at Okla. A & M College and a Masters in Education at O.U. She taught at Whitebead, near Pauls Valley four years, Cement High School 12 years, and Edmond Jr. High seventeen years where she was named Teacher of The Year in 1974. In addition to teaching she was office manager for McDowell Brothers Cap and Gown, Robinhood Farms, and part time at J.C. Penney’s.

After retiring in 1982 she did volunteer work. She volunteered at Will Rogers Airport Visitor Center over 20 years. She was active and helped organize the “Miller Neighborhood Assoc., writing the newsletter, planting flowers and shrubs, watering and neighborhood watch. In her spare time she took up golf and met some cherished friends.

She watched over her younger siblings with great care. She was a devoted Aunt to her 22 nieces and nephews. She loved to travel and visited Alaska, Switzerland, Australia and throughout the U.S. She was well read and enjoyed a variety of good literature. She like good music of all kinds and had a great sense of humor.

She was a member of Trinity Baptist Church, Ok. City; OEA; Miller Neighborhood Assoc., and Coffee Creek and Hefner Ladies Golf Clubs.

Cathryn was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Lanora Whaley; two brothers-in-law, Leonard Easterling and Vayden King. She is survived by five sisters, Lavina Jones & husband Ed of Frisco, TX; Mary Jean Easterling of Ft. Cobb; Frankie Conrad & husband Paul of Canyon Lake, TX; Wanda King of Yukon, OK; Norma Harris & husband A.C. of Hobart, OK; brother Tom Ratliff & wife Sue of Ft. Cobb, OK; brother-in-law Larry Whaley; 22 nieces and nephews; 55 great nieces and nephews; 10 great-great nieces and nephews, and a host of family and friends.

Funeral services are 2:00 pm, Saturday, June 25, 2011 at Guardian West Funeral Home Chapel with burial at 5:30 pm at Oak Grove Cemetery, Ft. Cobb, Ok.