Samuel Cleveland Ratliff of The Woodlands, Texas passed away January 23, 2020. .
He was born February 10, 1920 in Ladonia, Texas to Walter Cleveland and Lucille Neilson Ratliff.
Sam graduated from Cooper High School and East Texas State University in Commerce, Texas
He married Louise Elizabeth Rector of Sulphur Springs, Texas.
He was with the United States Coast & Geoditic Survey in Washington, D.C. for 3 years. After graduating from Cumberland Law School in Lebanon, Tennessee he was Assistant Law Librarian for two years.
He was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1946 and practiced law with his father and brother, W.C. Ratliff and B.T. Ratliff in Cooper, Texas. Sam was City Attorney for Pecan Gap, Texas and elected two terms as County Attorney of Delta County Texas and then was appointed Assistant Attorney General, under Attorney General John Ben Shepperd for four years in Austin, Texas. He was then appointed Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District in Houston, Texas and was head of the Civil Section. He joined the legal department of Transco Energy Company and was in charge of litigation in 13 states, he retired as General Attorney.
Sam was a member of Second Baptist Church and the Iron Men Bible Study Class of Houston, Texas. A long time golf enthusiast he also enjoyed fly fishing and sailing his boat - S/V Mumbly Peg
He is survived by two sons, Samuel Bradley Ratliff and wife Sally of Conroe, Texas, James Carver Ratliff and wife Ellen of Willis, Texas, grandson, James Daniel Ratliff and wife Michelle of Spring, Texas, and 3 great grandchildren, Abigail Anne Ratliff, James Daniel Ratliff, Jr., and Joseph Bradley Ratliff of Spring, Texas. He is preceded in death by his wife, brother, sister, girlfriends and daughter in law Gail Pankrantz Ratliff.
The family would like to thank the staff of Spec’s Liquor for keeping Sam well stocked in fine wines and liquor. Visitation for Samuel C Ratliff will be at 1:00pm Saturday February 1, 2020 at Delta Funeral Home. Graveside services will follow at 2:00 pm at Oaklawn Cemetery, Cooper, Texas conducted by Brad and Jim Ratliff , James Daniel “Danny” Ratliff and Cousins Marilyn Lookadoo and Nancy Martin.
You may pay your respects online at www.deltafuneralhome.com
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Samuel Cleveland Ratliff, please visit our floral store.