FERRIDAY— Services for Mickey Brown Ratcliff, 84, of Ferriday, will be 2 p.m. Sunday at First Baptist Church Ferriday with the Rev. Josh Morea officiating.   
Burial will follow at Lynn Cemetery in Archibald, Louisiana, under the direction of Young’s Funeral Home in Ferriday.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home and from 1 p.m. until service time Sunday at the church.
Mrs. Ratcliff was born May 1, 1935, in Mangham, Louisiana, the daughter of Steve W. Brown and Ruby Andrews Berry.
She was a graduate of Mangham High School and went on to pursue a bachelor of science in 1956 from Northeast Louisiana University and a master of science from University of Mississippi, in Oxford, in 1958. She continued her education, earning a degree in guidance counseling. She was recognized in 1968 as one of the “Outstanding Young Women of America” for her contributions and membership in 13 service organizations.
She was a resident of Ferriday since 1960 and was an amazing guidance counselor at Ferriday High School for 30 years. She dedicated herself in genuine service to helping many students over the years in not only graduating high school, some with honors, but also helped many obtain grants for college and assisted some in joining the military. She was a long time faithful member of First Baptist Church Ferriday. She taught third and fourth grade Sunday school for more than 16 years and was active in Wednesday night ministry and Sunday night discipleship. In her later years, she loved going to Monday School where senior ladies met to have Bible study. She was a true friend and encourager to each pastor who served at First Baptist Church Ferriday, as she was asked to be a part of several pastor search committees over the years. She was a godly mother who was faithful in her love, prayers and care for her family throughout her life.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Glenn E. Ratcliff; her parents; three brothers, Frank, Stanley and Robert Brown; and one sister, Billie Chaney.
Survivors include one daughter, Donna Ratcliff Melson and husband, Brian, of Columbia, South Carolina; two sons, Dan Ratcliff and wife, Alisa, of Natchez, and David Ratcliff and wife, Darla, of Prairieville, Louisiana; 12 grandchildren, Leah Melson Culbertson and husband, Trey, Clayton, Hope and Hannah Melson, Andrew, Jonathan and Rebecca Ratcliff, Matthew, Nicholas and Jarrett Gautreau, Malory Ratcliff and Lawson Smith; seven great-grandchildren, Mia, Luka and Sawyer Culbertson, Vayda Forest, Jolie, Noah and William Gautreau; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers will be Clayton Melson, Andrew Ratcliff, Jonathan Ratcliff, Joe Webber, Wayne Roberts and Charles R. “Bubba” Chaney.
Honorary pallbearers will be Matthew Gautreau, Nicholas Gautreau, Jarrett Gautreau, Frank Smith and the deacons of First Baptist Church Ferriday.
We are grateful to all those who cared for mom over the years, such as Rachel Fields, Cathy Jones, Carolyn McCollum and Rita Franks; also, the nurses of Encompass Health, Charlene Anderson, Penny Crain and Erika Wilkes; Personal Home Services Caregivers, Paul Keith and Deb Barrett. We would also like to thank the First Baptist Church Ferriday family, friends and neighbors who have shown their love and support during her illness the past several months.
Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church Ferriday.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at youngsfh.com.