Cecelia Marie Ratliff

Cecelia Marie Ratliff

Cecelia Marie Ratliff, 87, died Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, at Peace Hospice in Great Falls, Mont., of natural causes.

Visitation will be 5 to 7 p. m. on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, at Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. Her funeral service will be 10 a. m. Friday, Jan. 4, 2013, at Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel with Father Pete Guthneck officiating. Burial will follow at Highland Cemetery. Memorial contributions in Cecelia's honor may be made to Peace Hospice, P.O. Box 7008, Great Falls, MT 59405. Services and arrangements have been entrusted to Holland & Bonine Funeral Home.

Cecelia was born Feb. 25, 1925, in Great Falls, Mont., to Peter and Louise (Lapier) Villa. She was raised and educated in Great Falls. She married James Boyer in Great Falls, and they had three children. James was killed during World War II. Cecelia later married Jean Ratliff in 1947 in Great Falls. The couple later moved to Havre and had three children. Cecelia went to work at the Havre Clinic and in the Housekeeping Department of Northern Montana Hospital.

She enjoyed driving in the Bear Paw Mountains, fishing, gardening, crocheting, baking and canning. She liked to play rummy and solitaire and was a terrific baker and cook.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband, James Boyer; and her second husband, Jean Ratliff; her two brothers, Peter and Victor; one sister, Mary; and two grandsons, James Boyer and Paul Parrish.

Cecelia is survived by her children, Carol Boyer-Smith of Helena, Mont. ; Arneda (Darrell) Law of Boise, Idaho; Richard "Sonny" (Maryann) Boyer of Great Falls, Mont.. ; Donna Mangold of Havre, Mont., Sharon (Craig) Rang of Soldonta, Alaska, and Dale (Renee) Ratliff of Havre; 18 grandchildren; and 39 great-grandchildren.