James & Sikes Funeral Home Maddox Chapel 4278 Lafayette Street Marianna, Florida 32446 850.482.2332 Frances Pooser Ratzlaff of Marianna, Florida, died January 22, 2008, at her daughter's home in Panama City after a courageous battle with cancer. Mrs. Ratzlaff was born February 10, 1921, in Mayport, Florida, the daughter of Wankard Pooser and Maude Marie Brogdon Pooser. When she was very young, her family moved to Jackson County, Florida, where she graduated from Marianna High School in 1938. Her work career began at Florida Public Utilities, after which she worked for 28 years for the city of Marianna, with 20 of those years as City Clerk always being elected without opposition. After retiring from the city in 1987, she volunteered with the Jackson Hospital Auxiliary for 20 years, serving several offices in the organization; with the Chamber of Commerce, earning service achievement award; and in the office of First Baptist Church, where she was a member for more than 55 years. She is preceded in death by her parents; by her beloved husband of 54 yrs, Leonard George Ratzlaff; by her son, John Alan Ratzlaff; by her sisters Willie Maude Reeves and Martha Ann Sims; by her brothers, Charles Henry Pooser, John Waymer Pooser, and James Elliot Pooser. She is survived by daughters, Carolyn Ann Ratzlaff (Cliff) Ellis of Garden City, South Carolina, and Mary Beth (Harry) Frank of Panama City Florida; by daughter-in-law, Debbie Ratzlaff (Don) Kelley of Marianna; by grandchildren Chryssa Deanne Ellis (Tony) Rutland of Clemson, South Carolina; Robert Clayton Ellis of Garden City, South Carolina, Anna Catherine Ellis of Pendleton, South Carolina, Christopher Brett (Lacey) Frank of Panama City, Nicholas Alexander Ratzlaff of Marianna. Peter Gerhard Ratzlaff of Marianna; by step- granddaughter, Leslie McLain (Jake) Linton; by great-grandchildren Hannah Grace and John Ellis Rutland of Clemson, South Carolina; and Landon Noah Frank of Panama City, Florida. She is also survived by two brothers, Wankard L. Pooser and Lucius Belinger "Cap" (Joyce) Pooser, both of Marianna, and three sisters Sally Elizabeth (Bob) New of Orlando, Florida; and Kathryn Lucille Ross and Annie Laura Scott of Houston, Texas. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, Jan 25, 2008 at First Baptist Church of Marianna with Dr. William Montgomery officiating. Burial will follow in Riverside Cemetery with James & Sikes Funeral Home Maddox Chapel directing. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, at First Baptist Church Main Sanctuary in Marianna. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Leonard G. Ratzlaff Scholarship fund of the Baptist Theological College, 5400 College Drive, Graceville Fl 32440; or John A. Ratzlaff Scholarship, C/0 Chipola College Foundation, 3094 Indian Circle, Marianna, Fl. 32446.
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