Montie Lou Ratliff

Montie Lou Ratliff age 97 passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 27, 2024 at Life Care Center in Brookfield, MO. Montie Lou was born in Wheeling, Mo on February 3, 1927 to Monte and Lizzie (Baker) Bailey. The family included brothers Ivan, and Russell and sisters Mildred, Ruth, Ann and Ethel. They lived on their family farm near Wheeling. Montie Lou attended the People’s School which was a small country school through her 8th grade year. She attended and graduated high school in Ethel Mo. Completing her education was very important to Montie Lou. On November 6, 1943 at the age of 16, she married the love of her life, Julian (Reese) Ratliff, marrying before Reese left to serve his country in World War II. Montie Lou was left waiting for her love to return to her and spent time exchanging many letters back and forth with Reese while he was away from home. After the war ended, Reese returned to Montie Lou and Ethel, MO where they made their home and started their family. Their first child, was their daughter, Juletta who was born in 1949, followed by a son, Rick born in 1954 and finally, the baby of the family, their son Kyle born in 1962. Montie Lou stayed at home raising her family until 1967 when she got a job working at Brown Shoe Factory in Brookfield, MO. She worked there until the factory closed. Following the closing of the shoe factory, Montie Lou’s career path took her to Walsworth Publishing Company. Eventually Reese and Montie Lou decided to make their home in Brookfield, Mo where she continued to work until she retired at the age of 66. Montie Lou had always loved the quaint little town of Ethel where she and Reese had made their home, being active members of the community and The Ethel Presbyterian Church, so some time after Reese’s passing and upon Juletta’s retirement from nursing, Juletta and her mother returned to Ethel, residing just down the street from the house where the family had made their home for so many years. They lived happily there until the time when she became a resident at Life Care Center. Montie Lou loved gardening, cooking, baking, spending time with her loved ones, Cardinal’s Baseball, sewing, going to church, Sunday dinner with her family, attending her grandchildren’s activities, traveling, canning, and collecting trinkets. Montie Lou is survived by her son Rick Ratliff of Independence, MO. Grandchildren, Mandy Ratliff of New Cambria, Chris Ratliff (Jamie) of Rockford, Illinois, Joshua Ratliff (Jamie) of Bastrop, Texas, Kyleigh Campbell of New Cambria, MO, Bailey Ratliff of Bucklin, MO, Dakota Kincanon of Green City, MO and Brooklyn Ratliff also of Green City, MO. Great Grandchildren, Noah, Emily, Krista, Cheyenne, Brittany, Brendon, Paten, Keenan, Jade, Piper, Lottie, Danny, Nash, Myles, Madeline, and one Great Grandchild, Emma. Montie Lou is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Reese, all of her siblings and their spouses, her daughter Juletta, her son Kyle and an infant child. Memorial services will be held at 11:00 am. Friday, May 10, 2024, at the Ethel Community Church, Ethel, MO. Burial will be in the Ethel Cemetery, Ethel, MO. Family will be receiving friend at 10:00 am. until the time of the services Friday, May 10, 2024, at the Ethel Community Church, Ethel, MO. Services are under the direction of Rhodes Funeral Home, Brookfield, MO. Memorials are to the Family in care of Kyleigh Campbell and can be left at or mailed to Rhodes Funeral Home, 216 Linn Street, Brookfield, MO. 64628.

Montie Lou Ratliff

February 3, 1927 - April 27, 2024