James Richard Ratliff

JAMES RICHARD RATLIFF II James Richard "Jim" Ratliff II, died Saturday, December 31, 2005 in a Lubbock hospital. A funeral service, with Reverends Jimmy Griffith, Burtis Williams, and Ward Hayes officiating, will be at 2:00 P.M. Tuesday, January 3, 2006 in the First Baptist Church of Buffalo Gap, Texas. Burial will follow in the Buffalo Gap Cemetery under the direction of The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road, Abilene, Texas. There will be a visitation at the funeral home on Monday, January 2 from 4:00 until 6:00 P.M. Jim was born August 14, 1961 in Rotan, Texas to James Richard and Dianne Coggins Ratliff. He attended school in Rotan before graduating from Hobbs High School. He married Traci Thompson in Abilene on August 13, 1988. Jim began working for Godsey Equipment Company and worked in the industry for 22 years before his health caused him to retire. Jim had suffered a spinal cord injury during his high school years, but that injury never dampened his loving and very humorous spirit. An amazing man, devoted and loving father, son, brother and husband, Jim participated in wheelchair sports, coached youth football and baseball, as well as working with young people who had recently experienced the same type of injury that he had struggled to overcome. Survivors include: his wife, Traci, of Merkel; three sons, James III "Tres", David Lee and Aaron Taylor Ratliff all of the home; his parents, James and Dianne Ratliff of the Snyder area; two sisters, Kim and husband Tracey Knipe of Snyder, and Teressa and husband Jarod Standlee of Lubbock, Texas; his mother and father-in-law, Veda and Lee Thompson of Buffalo Gap, Texas; two sisters-in-law, Caryn Thompson and husband David of Hill Top Lakes, Texas and Melissa Thompson of Nugent, Texas as well as nieces and nephews