Obituary of John W. Ratcliffe

In loving memory of John Ratcliffe John Ratcliffe, 54, a five-year resident of Lacey, died peacefully at home with his wife and family at his bedside. John was born September 11, 1950 in Detroit, Michigan to Richard B. and Jewel (Lawson) Ratcliffe. He graduated high school in Northville, Michigan in 1968. In April 1977 John graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. He lived in Michigan from 1950 to 1991 and Indiana from 1991 to 2000. On March 6, 1971, John married the former Peggy Lakner, who survives. From March 15, 1971 to December 21, 1972, he served in the Army in Ulm, Germany. John worked with GM Research in Warren, Michigan as a Project Scientist from April 1977 to August 1991, Magnaquench in Anderson, IN. as Development Engineer from September 1991 to August 2000, and with the University of Puget Sound as Electronics Science Support Engineer from May 2002 to March 2005. His hobbies included ham radio, fly fishing, motorcycling, whitewater rafting, camping, and scuba diving. John belonged to the American Chemical Society, American Motorcycle Association, and Sigma Xi. Survivors, in addition to his wife, are two sons, Michael, of Anderson, Indiana and Jared, of Medford, Oregon; his brothers, Richard (Miriam), of Huntingtown, Maryland and Clayton, of Norwalk, Ohio; his sisters, Heather, of Mebane, North Carolina and Laurel (David), of Commerce, Michigan; and one grandson, Christopher. He also leaves many nieces and nephews. A memorial gathering in celebration of John’s life will be held on Sunday, June 26, 2005 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the home of George Bowman, 5200 78th Ave. N.E., Olympia, Washington, 98516. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the University of Puget Sound in John Ratcliffe’s name to the Office of Gift Planning, 1500 N. Warner, Tacoma, Washington, 98416-1037. Many people have shown our family extraordinary kindness through John's illness. Peggy would like to thank each of them: first, my sister Mickie Hale, and George Bowman, Donna and Blaine Bartley, Carl and Joan Young, Todd and Chinton Wheeler, Kirk Westenfelder, the faculty staff and students at the University of Puget Sound, Dr. Matthew Wellock, Dr. Min Kang, and all my dear collegues at Providence SoundHomeCare and Hospice. Thank you seems a woefully inadequate expression of gratitude; but know I carry your thoughts and prayers in my heart.