Dorothy Marline Ratliff

Dorothy Marline (Pierce) Ratliff, 78, of Dewey, went to her heavenly home on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. Dorothy was born February 10, 1946, in Parris Island, South Carolina, to Lysle Elwood and Rachel Marie (Flydell) Pierce. She attended Connellsville High School and then Little Washington Hospital, earning her certification in nursing. In 1969 Dorothy met the love of her life, Kenneth, in Lexington, Kentucky. The couple married on November 20, 1971, at Stonewall Wesleyan Church. They lived in Lexington until moving to Frankfort, Kentucky, where they stayed for 5 years. The next 12 years were spent in Plano, Texas. In 1988, they moved their family to Dewey, where they stayed. Dorothy worked as a maternity nurse for about 8 years before she quit her nursing career to raise a family. She also worked for a time at both the Bartlesville and Dewey Libraries. She was an active member of the Lacemakers Guild of Oklahoma. She loved to make handmade lace, specifically bobbin lace and tatted lace. She was known for doing lacemaking demonstrations at public venues, like county fairs, Sunfest, etc. Dorothy and Kenneth are active members of the Bartlesville First Nazarene Church. In addition, Dorothy was a faithful attendee of First Baptist Church Dewey. Through her years of faithful church attendance, Dorothy volunteered in the various children’s programs when they lived in Texas and then in the Bartlesville church. Her family fondly remembers how Dorothy was a “farm mom,” helping care for all her children’s animals. She was a wonderful mother and always attended their various activities, including band performances, piano competitions, and livestock shows. Dorothy loved music. She played the piano, organ, and hand bells, and sang in the church choir. Every time she told her loved ones good-bye, she would hold up the hand sign for “I love you” and would watch them leave until they were out of view. Dorothy will be dearly missed. Survivors include her loving husband of 52 years, Kenneth Dale Ratliff; daughter, Deirdre “Dee” (Randall) Osborne; two sons, Nathan Ratliff and Stuart Ratliff; two sisters, Diana Knight, and Leila (Richard) Dale; seven grandchildren, Gregory (Cheryl) Trueblood, Geoffrey (Sheldon) Osborne, Randall Osborne III, Mickayla Ratliff, Chloe Ratliff, Ryan Ratliff, and Bryce Ratliff; two great-grandchildren, Milo and Charlie; and a host of extended family and friends. A Memorial Service for Mrs. Ratliff will be held on Saturday, June 29, 2024 at 2pm at Bartlesville First Church of the Nazarene. Services are under the direction of Carter Davis and Davis Family Funeral Home – Dewey Chapel. Online condolences and remembrances may be shared at www.DavisFamilyFuneralHome.com.

Dorothy Marline Ratliff

February 10, 1946 - June 12, 2024