Fred L. Ratliff, 69 of Rockland, loving husband, father and grandfather, died May 9th at the Brockton Hospital.
Fred was born in 1943 in Ronceverte, West Virginia to the late Jennie (Leslie) Ratliff. He graduated from Metuchen High School and Upsala College, both in New Jersey. After spending many years as a systems analyst in the insurance industry, Fred went back to school in his late 40’s to become a middle school teacher. Later he received a Master’s Degree in education from Cambridge College.
Fred was a long-time resident of Rutland, MA and moved to Rockland in 2007 after retiring. While in Rutland, he was a member of the Rutland Lions Club and Immanuel Lutheran Church in Holden. He was president of Rutland Youth Soccer and formed the Rutland Basketball League for girls and boys. Before teaching, he was a member of the Rutland School Committee for almost ten years. After moving to Rockland, he was a member of Joy in Christ Lutheran Church, where he served on the church council.
His hobbies included tropical fish, coin collecting, photography and fishing and he had a wonderful sense of humor, but the most important thing to him was his family. He prioritized them above all else.
Fred leaves behind his beloved wife of almost 45 years, Martha (Teir) Ratliff and three children; Dr. Kristin Ratliff of Scituate, Karla Rasche and her husband Hal of Amherst and Dr. David Ratliff and his wife Marnie Bell of Buffalo, New York. He also leaves his two granddaughters; Josephine and Eleanor Rasche, both of Amherst.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend funeral services on Saturday May 18th at 11:00AM in the Joy in Christ Lutheran Church, 21 Bedford St., Abington, MA. Burial will follow in the Mt. Vernon Cemetery, Abington. Visiting hours will be held on Friday May 17th in the Blanchard Funeral Chapel, Plymouth Street (Rte. 58 at the Rotary Circle)Whitman from 5:00-8:00PM.
Memorial donations may be made in Fred’s name to the MSPCA-Angel, 350 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02130 www.mspca.org or Joy in Christ Lutheran Church, 21 South Bedford St, Abington, MA 02351.