Bessie Ratcliffe

Bessie Bradshaw Smith Ratcliffe of Selma, Alabama died on Sunday October 9, 2016 at the age of 83.

Bessie was born in Selma, Alabama on August 12, 1933 to Royal Randolph Smith and Janie Little Smith.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Jefferson Goode Ratcliffe, both of her parents, and an older sister, Jane Smith Johnston Shelton of Statesville, North Carolina.

Bessie attended Selma public schools and graduated from Albert G. Parrish High School where she was the homecoming queen.  She attended Salem College in Winston-Salem, NC and graduated from the University of Alabama where she was affiliated with Kappa Delta sorority.  She was a member of the National Society of Colonial Dames of America, the Selma Charity League, Pandora and served on numerous charitable organization boards including The Salvation Army and the Sturdivant Museum Association.

Bessie was a devoted, lifelong member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church where she played piano for several generations of children during children’s church and played the church chimes for many years.

Bessie is survived by a son, Jefferson Goode Ratcliffe, Jr. (Leisa) of Montgomery, a daughter, Janie Ratcliffe Baker (Jimmy) of Fairhope, and seven grandchildren, Clayton Ratcliffe Greene (Mac) and Shelby Adams McNeill (Griffin) of Birmingham, Jennifer Speir Bailey (Andrew) and Minna Christine Speir of Fairhope, Bradshaw Ratcliffe Tyson (Thomas) and Connor Charleston Thorpe of Montgomery and Meagan Elisabeth Baker of Auburn, two great-grandchildren, Ellie and Davis Greene of Birmingham, and a close cousin, Victor Bethune Atkins, Jr. Selma.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday October 12, 2016 at 11:00 a.m.  at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Selma, Alabama with the Rev. Jack Alvey officiating and Lawrence Brown-Service Funeral Home directing.  Burial will follow at Live Oak Cemetery.  Pallbearers will be Mac Greene, Thomas Tyson, Griffin McNeill, Andrew Bailey, Connor Thorpe, and Robert Gordon.  The family will receive friends in the Parish Hall at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church prior to the service from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 210 Lauderdale St., Selma, AL or to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org/donate.