Ralph Curtis Ratliff

Ralph Curtis Ratliff, age 89, of Rosedale, Va., passed away on Friday, November 17, 2017. He was born on July 1, 1928, to the late John D. Ratliff, Sr. and Buggie Looney Ratliff, in Deskins, Va. Ralph served in the Medical Company of the 4th Infantry Division of the United States Army. While stationed in Germany, he visited Switzerland, where he met the love of his life, Heidi. They later were married in New York and there he worked in his brother’s company. In 1956 Ralph and Heidi moved back to his home town in Virginia, where he found employment with Peoples Life Insurance Company. He enjoyed meeting people and made many friends. He believed in honesty and hard work in business. He was a member of the Belfast United Methodist Church, Belfast, Va. He liked to travel for both the company he worked for and visiting his Swiss family in Switzerland. In 1976 the family moved to Rosedale, Va. Later when he retired he enjoyed, good health, woodworking and bird watching. He built a cabin in Mount Rogers, Va. where the family hosted many family reunions.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by six siblings, Ruth Ratliff, Faye Ratliff, John D. Ratliff Jr., Virginia “Jean” Boyd, Ray Ransom Ratliff and Curtis Eugene Ratliff; five brothers-in-law, Edgar Affolter, Kenneth Janzen, Ed Boyd, George LaTragna and Tom Albert; and two sisters-in-law, Mary Ratliff and Ruby Ratliff.

He is survived by his loving wife and faithful caregiver of 63 years, Heidi “Edith” Affolter Ratliff; two sons, Donald R. Ratliff, Atlanta, Ga. and James (Cheryl) Ratliff, Belfast, Va.; two granddaughters, Angela Ratliff, Radford, Va. and Alyssa Ratliff, Belfast, Va.; three brothers, Frank Ratliff, Abingdon, Va., Clinton (Mabel) Ratliff, Vansant, Va. and Claude (Ida) Ratliff, Falls Church, Va.; three sisters, Tora LaTragna (Ralph) Bond, Bristol, Va., Lorene Janzen, Bristol, Va. and Loretta Albert, Annapolis, Md.; sisters-in-law, Maria Ratliff and Ellie Ratliff of Abingdon. their Swiss family, Kurt and Helen Affolter, Geneva, Switzerland, Sylvia and Joseph Baeriswyl, Geneva, Switzerland, Margaret and Pierre Jan-Du-Chene, Geneva, Switzerland and Monika Affolter, Geneva, Switzerland; numerous nieces and nephews; and many friends and caring neighbors.

The family would like to extend special thanks to the kind staff at Commonwealth Memory Care, Cedar Bluff, Va. and Legacy Hospice, Richlands, Va.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 21, 2017, at the Forest Hills Chapel of Farris Funeral Service, 19415 Lee Hwy., Abingdon, Va. 24210, with Pastor Michelle Brock officiating. A committal service will follow in the Colonial Chapel Mausoleum of Forest Hills Memory Gardens where Military Honors will be provided by the Highlands Veterans Honor Guard and the Virgnia National Guard. Pallbearers will be Rick Ratliff, Miles Ratliff, Johnnie Cole, Jamie Ball, Nathan Day and Matthias Day. Honorary pallbearers will be the men of the Belfast United Methodist Church. Visitation will be from 12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. Tuesday at the Forest Hills Chapel prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Belfast United Methodist Church, 291 Belfast Mills Rd., Cedar Bluff, Va. 24609 or the Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, D.C. 20090-6011.

Those wishing to express sympathy online may do so by visiting www.farrisfuneralservice.com and signing the online guestbook. The family of Ralph Curtis Ratliff is being cared for by Farris Cremation and Funeral Center, 19415 Lee Hwy., Abingdon, Va. 24210 (276-623-2700).