John Thomas "Tom" Ratliff, a resident of Greenfield, passed away Sunday, Dec. 19, 2010. He was born June 16, 1940, in Pine Bluff, Ark., a son of Thomas and Avis Ratliff of Rock Falls, Ill.
Tom accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his savior at the age of 10, and served the Lord all the years of his life. Tom graduated from Milledgeville High School, Ill., in 1957 and Bob Jones University, Greenville, N.C., in 1961. He was the owner and operator of J.W. Riley's Emporium antique mall at 107 W. Main St. for 20 years until his death. He was previously employed as a stock broker for Loewe & Co. in Rockford, Ill., and later at Prudential Bache in Lexington, Ky.
He is survived by his wife, Carol Ratliff; his children, Thomas (Wendy) Ratliff, Mary Ratliff Carvelle, and Matthew (Amanda) Ratliff; Carol's children, Nathan (Susan) Kuhn, David (Amber) Kuhn, Stephen Kuhn, and Elizabeth Kuhn; his parents, Thomas and Avis (Morgan) Ratliff; siblings, Kay Poston, Susie (Don) Smith, Joy (Tom) McGraw, Roberta (Robert) McKenna, and Tim (Kristine) Ratliff; and seven grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Rev. Edgar and Alli Ratliff and John and Clara Morgan; brothers, Jim Ratliff and Chris Ratliff; and son, Jonathon Ratliff.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 23, 2010, at Bethel Baptist Church with a reception immediately following at J.W. Riley's Emporium, 107 W. Main St., Greenfield.
