Obit of Johnnie E. Ratliff (r341) - McClain County, Oklahoma Submitted by: R W Ratliff 12 Sep 2003 Return to McClain County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/mcclain/mcclain.html ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ========================================================================== The Purcell Register May 14, 1925 RATLIFF FUNERAL DRAWS GREAT CROWD Marked by the greatest outpouring of people in the history of McClain County, funeral services for Johnnie E. Ratliff, McClain county sheriff, who died Saturday night in Oklahoma City from gun shot wounds sustained in conflict with Lester E. Rains, deranged man, Saturday morning, were held Tuesday morning at 10:30 o'clock from the First Baptist church, conducted by Rev. J. Morris Jones, assisted by Rev. H. Frank Cochran of Marietta, close personal friend of the deceased. Following the services held in Purcell, the funeral cortege proceeded to Dibble, thirteen miles west, where members of the Masonic lodge performed the last sad rites and laid the mortal remains in their final resting place. Dibble was the old home community of the deceased officer and a gathering estimated at from two thousand to twenty five hundred awaited the arrival of the funeral procession from Purcell. The service at Dibble was short, Rev. Ward, pastor of the Free Will Baptist church delivering a short eulogy on the deceased, calling attention to his wonderful traits of character and recounting the high esteem in which he was held not only by the citizens of his home community but by the county at large and throughout Oklahoma, where he was known. Rev. J. M. Jones led in prayer and members of the Dibble lodge A.F. & A.M. then took charge and carried out the Masonic rites. The services at the Baptist church were simple and impressive. Rev. J. Morris Jones in the course of his sermon said, "Last Saturday night there died in Oklahoma City the most highly respected peace officer in McClain county. Mr. Ratliff was serving on his fourth term as sheriff of his county. Johnnie, as he was familiarly called, was as tender as a child and as brave as a lion in his official capacity. He was a true husband and devoted father. As a citizen he had but few equals." Rev. H. Frank Cochran, former pastor of the Trinity Methodist church here and now located at Marietta, where he is serving the Methodist congregation, spoke very feelingly of his close personal friend. "Johnnie Ratliff was not a member of my church but I regarded him with as much esteem and prized his friendship as any citizen of Purcell. We were the best of friends and the attachment I formed for Mr. Ratliff cannot be expressed with mere words today. Seldom have I ever met a man who possessed such sterling traits of character. He was a Man! The community has suffered a great loss, your home and your children have suffered a great loss, by the passing of this brave officer. Johnnie Ratliff was fair and square. He persecuted no man and never took advantage of his position to override his fellow citizens. Contact with the criminal element did not affect him and he preserved a kindly but consistent view of law enforcement throughout his life." HIS LIFE Johnnie E. Ratliff was born in Williamson county, Texas, on October 4, 1874 and died in Oklahoma City, Saturday, May 9, 1925, being 50 years old. He was married on February 11, 1890, in Norman, Oklahoma to Miss Martha Miracle and to this union seven children were born, four dying in infancy. Robert died September 25, 1917; Winters died on January 6, 1923, and James is living and is a resident of Purcell. Mr. Ratliff's first wife died in 1903 and on June 2, 1905 he was married to Miss Myrtle Southwood, who remains with other relatives to mourn his most untimely passing. The deceased was a member of the Masonic, the Odd Fellows, the Elk, and Eagle lodged and could be depended upon by his brothers at any and all times. Mr. Ratliff is survived by his wife, his son James of Purcell, his brother, J. A. Ratliff of the Washington community, two sisters, Mrs. Lucy Perry and Mrs. Callie Clark of Foraker, Oklahoma, and two little grandsons, the children of his son Winters, besides other relatives. The entire citizenship of McClain county held the highest regard for Mr. Ratliff and the sincere sympathies of all go out to the bereaved wife and relatives. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to McClain County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/mcclain/mcclain.html