Hattie was born Hattie Mae Leger, to Austin and Rose Haven Leger, in Lake Charles, Louisiana on July 22, 1943. As a child, she lived all over southern Louisiana and parts of Texas. Her family finally settled in Vinton, Louisiana where Hattie attended high school and met Ernest Ratliff, Jr., her high school sweetheart. Hattie graduated in May 1961 and married Ernest that very same week. Ernest moved Hattie all over for his education and they had a child in each of those states. Rick Ratliff was born in Sulphur, Louisiana, Rhonda Ratliff Peyton was born in Norman, Oklahoma, and Robyn Ratliff DeHart was born here in San Marcos, Texas.
Hattie was active with the university ladies, a long-time member of First Baptist Church, and a volunteer with many high school events for all three of her children. Hattie worked at the Alumni House (at what was then Southwest Texas University) for several years before moving to a job at Ascot Travel where she worked for fifteen years.
Hattie was an avid reader and a great story teller. Hattie became an author herself in recent years with her Bon Amie series written under the name Hattie Mae. These stories combine her love of family, friends and good food all set in her beloved Louisiana.
Hattie is survived by her husband, Dr. Ernest Ratliff Jr., a recent retiree from Texas State after teaching Math for 48 years. Their three children: son Rick Ratliff and wife Barbara Ratliff; daughter Rhonda Peyton and husband Gilpatrick Peyton; daughter Robyn DeHart and husband Dr. Paul DeHart; and their eight grandchildren: Greg Peyton, Rebekah Peyton Raabe and husband Jake Raabe, Dakota Ratliff, Reagan Ratliff Bailey and husband Matt Bailey, Wilhelmina DeHart and Zoe DeHart. Hattie is to have her first great-grandchild in late October.
Services will be postponed until it is safer to hold a large gathering.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the San Marcos Public Library or bookspring.org.
