AlleghanyJournal.com's Facebook Page | Journal Buy/Sell Free Classifieds
Back To The Journal's Home Page

Alleghany Journal Obituaries are sponsored by...

VIDEO
* * * * *
Get Obituary Information Emailed To You Via Our AlleghanyJournal.com Breaking News Alerts System - click here or visit our Facebook Page for updates.
NEW: Journal Video Slideshows May Accompany Any Obituary - click here for details.
Obituaries

Obituary for Lucille Alice (Kelley) Ratcliffe Lucille Alice (Kelley) Ratcliffe
Warm Springs Resident, Starr Bolar Community Church Member, Dies At Age 80

Lucille Alice (Kelley) Ratcliffe, age 80, of Warm Springs, Virginia, passed away Sunday, June 14, 2026 at The Springs Nursing and Rehab in Hot Springs.

She was born in Dunmore, West Virginia on June 12, 1946, a daughter of the late Lawrence and Evelyn Bernice (Clark) Kelley.

Lucille will be remembered for her deep love for horticulture; she found great joy and peace in the natural world. Her nurturing spirit extended to all living things, and she had a remarkable gift for caring for animals, most especially her sheep.

She generously gave of her time and energy through volunteering with local churches, fire departments, and civic organizations - always demonstrating an unwavering commitment to her community.

She was a dedicated member of the Starr Bolar Community Church and the Bolar Fire Department, where she touched the lives of many through her compassion, kindness, and willingness to lend a helping hand to family, friends, neighbors, and even strangers alike.

An avid gardener, she found great happiness in her flowers, as well as vegetables, and took pride in the beauty she cultivated around her.

Her legacy is one of warmth, quiet strength, and generosity. She will be fondly remembered for the lasting impressions she made on all who were fortunate enough to know her, especially her grandchildren, who held a special place in her heart. She devoted her life to the well-being of others, and her loving spirit will continue to live on through the many lives she touched.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her brother, Edsel Kelley; and her sisters, Dorothy Gaul, Mona Rankin, Elsie Sheets, Leta Wilfong, Norene Simmons, and Frances Taylor.

Surviving family members include her daughters, Kimberly Lynne Rexrode and husband, Danny of Warm Springs and Tammy Jeanne Taylor of Cleveland, OH; her sons, Hubert Kenton “Buddy” Ratcliffe and Matthew Scott Ratcliffe and wife, Lori of Warm Springs; grandchildren, Zachary Taylor of Cleveland, OH, Airman Ely Taylor of Omaha, NE, and Erica, Ryan, and Keaton Ratcliffe of Warm Springs; sisters, Georgia Townsend of Pearisburg and Kathy Wolfe of Catlett; as well as her beloved feline companion, Socks.

A funeral service will be held 11 a.m., Saturday, June 20, 2026 at Starr Bolar Community Church with pastor Mike Puffenbarger officiating. Interment will follow in Hamilton Chapel Cemetery.

Active pallbearers will be Zackary Taylor, Ryan Ratcliffe, Bailey Nicely, Randy Taylor, Paul Terry, and Jack Lindsay.

Family will receive friends 6 - 8 p.m., Friday, June 19, at Obaugh Funeral Home in McDowell. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Bolar Volunteer Rescue Squad, 1099 Robinson Lane, Warm Springs, VA 24484.

The Obaugh Funeral Home, McDowell, Virginia, is in charge of arrangements.