Robbie Ratliff

Robbie Ratliff, 90, of Brownwood, passed away on Thursday, October 9, 2025. A public viewing will be held on Sunday, October 12th from 1 to 5 pm, come and go. Private burial will be at a later date.
Robbie Ratliff, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and friend, passed away peacefully leaving behind a legacy of faith, family and service.
Robbie was born on November 9, 1934, on her family's cotton farm near Blackwell, Texas, to Homer and Gertrude McLeod. Robbie grew up amid wide fields and close-knit kin. As a child she moved with her parents to Trent and later to Roscoe, where the rhythms of farm life shaped her steadfast work ethic and deep love for community.
At Roscoe High School, Robbie cheered on the sidelines while her classmate, Jesse Ratliff, excelled on the court and field. Their friendship quickly blossomed into young love and upon graduation they married, embarking on more than seven decades together.
In the early years of their marriage, Robbie poured her heart into homemaking, raising two spirited boys, Scottye and Bryce. Jesse and Robbie Ratliff owned and operated Ratliff Steel Company since 1983 where their legacy lives on in their grandson, Si Ratliff. When both Scottye and Bryce were in school, she joined the staff at Brownwood High School as an attendance clerk, a role she embraced for many years. Students remembered her warm greeting at the door and her gentle encouragement to get back on track whenever they needed it.
Robbie and Jesse were pillars of the Austin Avenue Church of Christ. For decades she taught Bible school, organized fellowship meals, led prayer groups and welcomed newcomers with a homemade pie and a listening ear. Her faith was not only spoken in scripture but lived out in kindness, forgiveness and generosity.
Robbie was sweet with a side of spicy - maybe a little more spicy than sweet at times. You never had to wonder what she was thinking because she was sure to tell you. If for some reason she didn't tell you, her face said it all. She never ate a meal without something sweet to follow; surely that's where her sweet side came from. Robbie was festive and hospitable for all holidays, making her home a place where everyone looked forward to gathering in celebration. Her home was a safe place, and she was intentional in caring for her family, loving them no matter what.
She is survived by her sons, Scottye and Renae Ratliff of Midland, and Bryce Ratliff of Brownwood; brother, Wade and Judy McLeod; grandchildren Shay Ratliff, Sloan Clark, Sydnee Boyd, Scotty Urias, Si Ratliff, Stehl Ratliff, Lexxi van der Merwe, Lakyn Ratliff, Cade Doss, Cole Doss and Paige Cubine; twenty-five great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Delores Ratliff; sister-in-law, Maryann and Gene Stocker. She took great joy in family gatherings, where laughter and storytelling flowed as freely as the sweet tea she always kept on the counter.
She is preceded in death by her husband Jesse, her infant son, Eric Ratliff; parents Homer and Gertrude McLeod; sisters Mary Jo Cardwell, Elnor Freeman and Betsy Scott.
Robbie's love for the Lord was matched only by her love for her family. She was a steadfast partner to Jesse, a nurturing mother, a proud grandmother and a tireless servant of her community. We are forever grateful for the warmth of her presence and the strength of her example.
Though our hearts ache at her passing, we find comfort in the promise of reunion and in the knowledge that she rests in the grace she so faithfully shared. God is good. Always has been, always will be.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be donated to Cherokee Home for Children, PO Box 295, Cherokee, TX 76832-0295.