Lois Lurlene Ratliff

Lois Lurlene Reagor Ratliff, our beloved Mama and Grandma to many, passed away peacefully in her home, surrounded by loved ones, after a brief illness on Thursday, June 12th, 2025. A visitation with the family will be held at Heartland Funeral Home, Friday, June 20th, 2025 from 6:00-8:00 PM. The Funeral will be in the Heartland Funeral Home Chapel 10:00 AM, Saturday, June 21st, 2025 with interment to follow in the Bangs Cemetery.Lurlene was born to her loving parents, J B Reagor and Sybil Lawana Cole Reagor in Santa Anna, TX on August 27th, 1939. She was the second born of five children, and always stayed very close with her siblings. Lurlene was a basketball player and cheerleader, and a proud graduate of Bangs High School in Bangs, Texas in 1957. After developing a healthy work ethic by helping out at the Service Station in Bangs that her family owned, she began her own career at Citizens National Bank in Brownwood as a Teller and continued working in banking until she married Arch Rease Ratliff in 1965 and soon after had three daughters. They relocated to the Waco area in 1978 due to Arch's job transfer. In order to be at every event and extracurricular activity that her daughters participated in, and to be home with them on Summer Breaks, she changed career paths and began working as a custodian and bus driver for Axtell ISD. Lurlene was a fantastic cook, so when a lunchroom position opened up soon after, she was a perfect fit. Lurlene eventually became the Director of Nutrition and Manager of Axtell ISD meal services, planning and managing multiple campuses nutritional needs, where she stayed for 18 years, leaving that position with many of the students calling her Mom and accustomed to getting occasional hugs as they went through the lunch line.Finding herself single again in retirement, Lurlene eventually moved back to the Bangs area where she pursued her dreams of entrepreneurship by purchasing and renovating several homes for rental income, flipping, and to live in herself. She also purchased The Salon and Closet Consignment in Brownwood, where she was able to utilize her management abilities, and get to know some of the Brownwood community better. Eventually she sold these businesses and moved back to the Waco area to be close to her daughters and their families, including many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Family was always the most important thing second only to her faith in God. Lurlene gave her life to Christ when she was a young girl at Mt View Methodist Church. While in the Bangs area, Lurlene faithfully attended The First Methodist Church of Bangs, and when in the Waco area, she attended China Spring Methodist Church, and occasionally visited Canaan Baptist Church in Crawford.Lurlene loved to travel, and went wherever, whenever she could with family, enjoying multiple cruises, Tennessee, Branson, Missouri, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Virginia, Colorado, Hill Country tours in Texas, and lots of trips to Florida. She was also a talented seamstress, sewing anything from Wedding gowns to stage costumes, at times making her own patterns. Lurlene also enjoyed drawing up the perfect house plans, gardening, canning, cooking and baking, playing cards or dominoes, but most of all, just spending as much time as possible with her family.Lurlene's survivors include her daughters, Darla Ratliff and Dena Bottoms, both of Waco, Donna Keever and husband Jim of Crawford, Tx; grandchildren, Sammi Jo (Chris) Marsh, Jessica (Derek) Baker all of Waco, Thurman (Emily) Brown of Hewitt, TX, Katie Mitchell of Rockledge, FL, Alex Mitchell of Waco, Carlton (Azucena Cruz) Brooks of Waco, Haylie (Theodore) Danforth of Robinson, Macie Ratliff and Blaine Bottoms both of Waco, Brittany (Kyle) Bottoms of Robinson, Blake (Haley) Bottoms of Crawford; 3 sisters, Lawana Weathers of North Richland Hills, Nona (Conice) Horner of Grosvenor, TX, and Deedie Reagor of Coleman, TX; great-grandchildren, Sydni (aka Cy), Dallas, Cullen, Josiah, Abby, Mary, Beau, Gracie, Bryson, Tucker, Bodi, Blakely, Tripp, Gio, and Duce, as well as a whole bunch of beloved cousins, nieces and nephews, and bonus family members that she loved and welcomed into her heart as her own.Lurlene is preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Tommy J Reagor.In lieu of flowers the family is requesting donations be made to First Methodist Church of Bangs @ firstmethodistchurchofbangs.org 301 S. First St. Bangs, TX 76823 (325)752-6323Online condolences can be shared with the family at www.heartlandfuneralhome.net
Cemetery
Bangs Cemetery
7700 County Road 179
Bangs TX 76823
US
Visitation
Friday, June 20, 2025
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Heartland Funeral Home - Early
303 Early Boulevard
Early TX 76802
US
Funeral Home
Heartland Funeral Home - Early
303 Early Boulevard
Early TX - 76802
US To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Lois, please visit our Tree Store.