West Point - Betty Lou (Smith) Ratliff, 88, West Point, passed away in the St. Anthony Healthcare Center, Lafayette, on Monday, August 10, 2020 at 5:00 a.m.
Betty was born near Newtown in Fountain County, Indiana on January 9, 1932. She was the daughter of the late Everette and Marilla (Green) Smith. Betty grew up east of Attica, graduating from Attica High School in 1950. She received a degree in Education from Eastern Kentucky University in 1955. Betty had lived in Danville, IL for two years and moved to West Point in 1959.
Betty was an elementary school teacher teaching in New Carlisle, OH. She later taught in the Covington Elementary School and Williamsport Elementary School. She retired from the West Lafayette School in 1992 after teaching there for 21 years.
She had attended the Evergreen Wesleyan Church in Lafayette. She was a member of the ( NEA) National Education Association. While teaching Betty belonged to the Classroom Teachers Association. She enjoyed quilting, camping and flower gardening. Betty, being the teacher, enjoyed taking the grandchildren on field trips to share her knowledge about historical facts.
On March 17, 1956, Betty married Jimmy P. Ratliff in Pennsylvania Gap, VA. Jimmy preceded her in death on May 9, 2019.
She leaves behind two sons, Jimmy (Pamela) Ratliff, Mulberry and Tim (Donna) Ratliff, Crawfordsville; three grandchildren, Joseph (Anna) Ratliff, Preston (Tia) Ratliff and Kimberly (Matt) Armstrong; five great-grandchildren, Hendrick Armstrong, Emmett Ratliff, Gabriel Ratliff, Mcaden Armstrong and Ean Ratliff; two brothers, Richard Smith, West Lafayette and Vernie (Karen) Smith, Grantville, PA; a sister-in-law, Nancy Smith, Lafayette. She was preceded in death by a brother, Charles "Chuck" Smith and a sister, Frances Coleman.
Friends may call at the Maus Funeral Home, Attica, on Friday, August 14th, from 12:00 p.m. until the service time at 2:00 p.m. with Pastor Joseph E. Park officiating. Burial will follow in the Bethel Cemetery, Attica. People are reminded to keep social distancing and wear face masks while in attendance of the visitation and services.  In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Evergreen Wesleyan Church Food Pantry, 1525 Grove St., Lafayette, IN    47905