Marcile Ratcliff, 86, of Lynnville, died Friday, Apr. 22, 2022, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. Visitation at 10 a.m. was followed by 11 a.m. service on Tuesday, Apr. 26, at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell. Interment was in Woodland Cemetery in Lynnville. Memorials may be directed to the Lynnville-Sully Community Education Foundation.
Marcile Faye Wisgerhof was born Jan. 27, 1936, in Newton to Oliver Henry and Hazel Viola (DePrenger) Wisgerhof. She was raised near Sully and graduated from Sully High School. She attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls and Drake University in Des Moines.
Marcile was united in marriage to Melvin Leo Ratcliff on Sept. 13, 1957, at Sully Community Church. Their marriage was blessed with two daughters, Cindy and Bonita. They lived in Greenfield and Sully before making their home in Lynnville. Marcile was a longtime educator of 39 years at Lynnville-Sully Community School District. She was a 4-H leader, a Girl Scout leader, and taught Sunday School at Lynnville Friends Church. Her enjoyments were sewing, reading, and, most importantly, being together with her family at their acreage.
Marcile is survived by her two daughters: Cindy (Ron Reynolds) Arkema of Killduff and Bonnie (Steven) Hofer of Lynnville; grandchildren: Christa (Shaun) Vander Weerdt, Anthony Arkema, Jerri (Trevor) Nikkel, Joshua Hofer, Jamie (Randi Visser) Hofer; great-grandchildren: Chloe and Reagan Vander Weerdt, Bella and Lillian Nikkel, and Owsley Hofer; and her sister Carlene Schrag of Lincoln, NE.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Melvin Ratcliff in 2021; brother-in-law Rayford (Eleanora) Ratcliff; sisters-in-law Neva (Earl) Klyn, Vera (Gerald) Beason, Alice (Lloyd) Sparks, Velma (Floyd) Sparks, and Doris (Clair) Fenner; brother-in-law Stan Schrag; and nephews Larry Sparks and Tim Schrag.
