Becky Ratcliffe Gilly

Becky Lee Ratcliffe Gilly, born in Natchez, MS, and a longtime resident of New Orleans and Mandeville, passed away on September 16, 2026, at the age of 98. Becky was the daughter of the late Rebekah Brown Allgeyer and Carey Lee Ratcliffe. She is survived by her children James “Jim” (Stephanie) Gilly, Rebekah “Weez” (Michael) Doherty, Richard “Rick” (Robbi) Gilly, Michael “Mike” (Katie) Gilly, and Fay Cecile “Ce-Ce” (Billy) Lambert; sixteen grandchildren; and twenty-four great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward Joseph Gilly; her son Christopher “Chris” Raymond Gilly; her stepfather, Dr. Ernest Emile Allgeyer; and siblings Betty Thompson Kennedy, Barbara Thompson Burke, and Tommy Payne Thompson.

Becky graduated from Gulf Park College for Women in Long Beach, MS, and went on to attend Newcomb College for Women at Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. While attending Newcomb, Becky met Eddie, the love of her life, through her early volunteer work as a candy striper at Touro Infirmary. They married on May 18, 1949. Becky led with a servant’s heart and instilled a love for community service in her family. She was a longtime volunteer at the Cabildo and the Presbytère in New Orleans, followed by additional decades of service at Lakeview Regional Hospital in Covington. She was a devout Catholic and for years was a parishioner and eucharistic minister at St. Clement of Rome in Metairie, until she moved to Mandeville and became a member of Mary, Queen of Peace church.

For many years, Becky and Eddie were actively involved in a number of New Orleans Carnival organizations. Through her efforts in crafting creative costumes for her kids, hosting neighborhood children’s parades, and, later, devising the miracle of multi-baby king cakes for her grandchildren (somehow, just enough for each one), MeMaw imbued the season with a warmth that made it all the more special.

Becky also fostered in her family a love for life on the water. Her older children spent most every summer of their childhood with extended family in Waveland, MS, learning to sail at Bay Waveland Yacht Club, fishing and crabbing, cooking big meals, and celebrating “bullbat time.” Once there were grandchildren, MeMaw and Pop Pop would pick a week each summer to host the entire family at the Lake Shore Club on Lake Pontchartrain.

MeMaw made entertaining an art: She knew that the recipe for a good time called for good food, good drinks, and, most importantly, good stories. When others hosted, no touch was too small for a thoughtful thank-you note. MeMaw’s handwritten recipes—like her smocked children’s clothes and needlepoint Christmas stockings—are heirlooms. A wonderful cook and an even better baker, Becky enjoyed sharing her knowledge, and patiently passed her skills on to her children and grandchildren, as well as stories. As the family archivist, MeMaw had a wealth of knowledge regarding family history, including those of historic family homes on Broadway Avenue in Galveston, TX (Ashton Villa), and on the banks of the Teche in Jeanerette, LA (Albania).

Many thanks to Windsor Senior Living Community and LNC Caregivers for their kind and compassionate care. A private memorial service was held for Becky on September 21, 2026.

Please celebrate Becky’s memory in your own ways, with kind thoughts and words with loved ones or by donation to a charity of your choice. She was one of a kind and will be sorely missed.

To view and sign the Family online guestbook, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com