Thomas Butler Ratliff

Tom passed away Thursday, August 12, at Presbyterian Hospital surrounded by family and loved ones. Tom was born on August 22, 1935 in Ashland, Kentucky to Ishmael James and Edith Mae Ratliff. While growing up around West Virginia where his father worked for the coal mines, ‘Tommy’ became an early entrepreneur shining shoes and making money doing odds and ends for small business owners. Tom received a scholarship for football and track. He studied chemistry and graduated from Northern Colorado University. Tom was 32nd degree Mason and a member of The Elks Lodge. He went on to become District Sales Manager for Dorsey Laboratories, then Regional Sales Manager for Sandoz Pharmaceuticals, Inc. During this time he met, fell in love with and married Maureen Brophy, his loving partner of 45 years. Tom and Maureen lived in South Dakota, Colorado and California, before settling permanently in Dallas in 1973, raising their family in Lake Highlands. After successfully raising three children, Karen, Paula and Taylor, Tom retired from the business world in 1994 and pursued his love of golf playing and collecting memorabilia. Tom loved family and family gatherings. Holidays were his most cherished times especially at Christmas when he enjoyed growing his beard and being ‘Santa’. Tom loved to landscape his yard and work on his swimming pool. He was an avid snow skier and dancer. He skied the Rocky Mountains of CO and Black Hills of SD and danced at the Gene Kelly School of Dance which helped him woo and win the heart of his true love Maureen during their courtship, by literally picking her up off the ski slopes as she fell on so many occasions and dancing to many a classic Sinatra tune with her. Tom will be remembered by all of those who knew and loved him for his charm, charisma, athletic talent and ability to make friends. He is survived by his three children and their spouses; Karen and Jerry Dibling of Garland; Paula and Billy Hicks of Plano; and Taylor and Jennifer Ratliff of Dallas; his brother Jerry Ratliff of Louisville, CO; three grandchildren, Kari Moulton, Kabrin Dibling and Marlowe Ratliff, and great grandson Kai Moulton. Tom’s life will be celebrated in a memorial service to be held Thursday, August 18 at 12:00 pm, at Sparkman-Hillcrest Funeral Home, 7405 W Northwest Highway, Dallas, 75225. The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in his wife Maureen’s honor to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (www.ocrf.org).