A funeral service for Josie Mae Slaughter Ratcliff, 90, of Shreveport, Louisiana will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, March 16, 2024, in the Chapel of Downs Funeral Home. A visitation for family and friends will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Friday, March 15, 2024, at the funeral home. Mrs. Ratcliff passed away on March 12, 2024, in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Josie Mae Slaughter Ratcliff passed away at the age of 90 at Willis Knighton Bossier Hospital in Bossier City, Louisiana.

She was born in Karnack, Texas on November 10, 1933, to Willie and Winnie Mae Jordan Slaughter. Upon graduation from Karnack High School, she attended Sam Houston State Teachers College where she met the love of her life Thomas Edward Ratcliff. They married on August 24,1952 at her parents' home in Karnack, Texas.

Tom and Josie felt the call to ministry shortly after they were married and moved to Fort Worth, Texas for Tom to attend seminary. Josie soon became a pastor's wife and as their family grew, was busy raising their two daughters. They moved to Glenwood, Washington to begin a new church where Josie started a kindergarten, played the piano for services and worked alongside Tom in the ministry. In 1965 they were appointed as missionaries by the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Following a year in language school in Costa Rica, they served as missionaries in the Dominican Republic. Josie taught several people to play the piano, some of who later became church pianists.

Upon returning to the states, she finished her Bachelor's degree at East Texas Baptist College and taught Spanish at her alma mater Karnack High School while Tom pastored Karnack Baptist Church. Next, they moved to Beeville, Texas where Josie served as Baptist Student Union Director at Bee County College. Their next home was West Palm Beach, Florida where Josie served as an adjunct professor at Palm Beach Atlantic College and also taught Spanish at a local high school. Tom began a new job with the Missouri Baptist Convention, which led them to Jefferson City, Missouri. Josie taught high school Spanish and also taught some English classes for Lincoln University. She was very involved in Tom's ministry to churches across the state and was a mentor and speaker to church staff wives.

Marshall, Texas was their next move, and they soon accepted the call to pastor Pope City Baptist Church. Josie loved to sing in the choir and assisted Tom in the regular visitation of church members. They often delivered banana nut bread, peach cobblers, cinnamon bun cake, or chocolate covered pecans during their pastoral visits.

She is survived by daughters and sons-in-law, Suzanne and Mark Wiley of Murfreesboro, AR, and Patty and Donny Lee of Shreveport, LA; grandchildren and their spouses, Steven and Marianne Wiley of Saint Augustine, FL, Thomas and Sanela Wiley of Little Rock, AR, Luke and Britney Lee of Shreveport, LA and Melody and Matthew Rogers of El Paso, TX; great grandchildren, Emma Wiley, Noah Wiley, Ledger Wiley, Olivia Wiley, Kylo Wiley, Bridger Lee, Archer Rogers and Addyson Rogers.

She is preceded in death by her father and mother, Willie and Winnie Mae Slaughter; husband, Bro. Tom Ratcliff; brothers, Fred Slaughter, Billy Slaughter, George Slaughter and Rene "Sam" Slaughter and sister, Mildred Bass.

Miss Josie, as she was affectionately called, loved singing hymns, seeing the beauty in nature, and baking goodies. She was a creative, gifted teacher, had a great sense of humor, and loved to write stories about her family. Josie collected inspirational quotes, was an encourager to others, and always saw the positive side of things. She believed in respecting others and showing kindness. She was a wonderful pastor's wife, mother, and friend to so many.

The family would like to express a special thanks to the staff at Brookdale Shreveport and Cypress Point Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, and two special ladies JoAnn Oliver and Jean Smith who were her dear companions.