William Daniel Ratlieff Sr. (Bill), 94, entered into rest August 11, 2026 after a prolonged illness with dementia. Born on June 14, 1932 in Jacksonville, Florida to Thomas and Nina Ratlieff, Bill was an avid history lover and gifted competitor.
He attended Andrew Jackson High School where he sharpened his athletic abilities as a star basketball player. In doing so, he made lifelong friends and was awarded a four-year scholarship to University of Florida where he proudly played as a Florida Gator.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Education degree, Bill moved down to Miami. He cleaned pools by day and was a Biscayne Dog Track security guard at night. There he met Marlene Graham, and the two were married in August 1960 for 22 years. During this time, he continued his education at Florida Atlantic University where he earned a Master of Education degree.
In 1984, Bill married fellow educator Mamo Powers. The two were married until her death on December 24, 2009.
Bill retired after 34 years working for Miami-Dade Public Schools. His career began as a Physical Education teacher at Biscayne Gardens Elementary School and Hialeah Junior High. Later, he was a Visiting teacher working with special education kids from Horace Mann Middle School. Lastly, he became an Assistant Principal at Brownsville Middle School and later at Edison Senior High.
Bill is survived by his devoted wife Joyce Shrader, his loving daughter Lisa Nadal, beloved son William Ratlieff Jr., and two adoring grandsons Austin and Tyler Ratlieff. He joins those who have gone before him – his parents, older brother Harold Ratlieff, son Thomas Ratlieff, and brother-in-law Bill Graham.
In addition to his family, Bill loved watching shows on history and how to make things, collecting coins, traveling, fishing, going out to eat, and attending church. For twelve years, he was a member of First Baptist Church of SW Broward.
A visitation will be held at Forest Lawn Funeral Home, 2401 Southwest 64th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317, US, on August 24, 2026, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, followed by a funeral service at the same location from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm.
A committal service will take place at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens, 2401 Davie Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317, US, on August 24, 2026, from 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm.
