Joe Lewis "Jay" Ratcliff

Joe Lewis “Jay” Ratcliff

Aug. 25, 1914-April 4, 2006

MONTEREY, La. — Services for Joe Lewis “Jay” Ratcliff, of Monterey, who died Tuesday, April 4, 2006, at his residence, will be at 11 a.m. today at Eva Church of God with the Rev. Marion Trisler Jr., Rev. Kevin Simms, Rev. Lloyd Trisler and Brother Joe Lewis officiating.

Burial will follow in the church cemetery under the direction of Young’s Funeral Home Ferriday.

Mr. Ratcliff was born Aug. 25, 1914, in Olla, La., the son of Billy Ratcliff and Annie Ratcliff Steele. He was a member of Jonesville Church of God for 35 years and served as adult Sunday school teacher and church deacon. He was also a member and helped in the original construction of the Eva Church of God. He retired from the Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development with 21 years of service. He was a commercial fisherman for 60 plus years. Mr. Ratcliff was also a veteran of the Armed Forces.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Carlos Ratcliff, Durham Steele and Jackie Steele and a sister, Alyne Steele Pickett.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Mable Crouch Ratcliff; a son, Billy Joe Ratcliff and wife Carolyn of Monterey; a daughter, Sheila Ratcliff Paul and husband Pervon of Monterey; grandchildren, Annie Ratcliff Sance and husband Glen of Holden, La., Jennie Ratcliff Rogers and husband Tim of Lettsworth, La., Rebecca Ratcliff Simmons and husband Ralph of Pollock, La., Jan Paul Morris and husband Marcus of Monterey and Jessie Paul of Monterey; great-grandchildren, Britt and Austin Overton of Holden and Hanah Sance of Holden; two brothers, Henry “Hans” Ratcliff and Frank “Bud” Ratcliff both of Kirbyville, Texas; a sister, Doris Steele Osburn and husband Frank of Kirbyville, Texas.

Pallbearers will be Gene Story Crouch, Eddie Wayne Poole, Brunston Crouch, James White, Gerald Ratcliff, Dave Fancher, Johnny McKey and Ralph Simmons.

Honorary pallbearers will be Austin Overton, Britt Overton, Tim Rogers, Glenn Sance, Jack “Pug” Aswell, James Miller Crouch, Leroy Paul, Tommy “Red” Tiffee, Diane Fancher and Marcus Morris Jr.