Hazel C. Ratcliffe

HAZEL CAROLYN DETHLOFF RATCLIFFE Hazel Carolyn Hicks, 100, was born on the Louer/Hicks family farm in Shelby Township, rural Amboy, Minnesota, on Christmas Day, December 25th, 1911, to Edward and Luella Louer Hicks. The second of 5 sisters, Hazel attended Jackson Lake country school and Amboy Methodist Church. She later attended Amboy High School, in the Class of 1930, leaving before graduation to care for her ill mother. Hazel married Oscar Dethloff, Feb. 11, 1930 in Mankato. They lived in Minnesota Lake in the 30s where he delivered gas for Standard Oil Co. and Hazel was a homemaker. Their son, Richard was born in 1933. In the early 40s they returned to Oak Ridge Farm in rural Amboy, where the three generations farmed together. Richard continued to live on the farm following his marriage to Lois Boesch in 1953. In 1957 Oscar passed away and Hazel continued to live on the farm and care for her granddaughter, Kelly. In 1967 Hazel married Carlos Ratcliffe and moved into Amboy, where she lived until coming to the Mapleton Community home in 2007. Hazel was a life-long member of Amboy United Methodist Church, was active in United Methodist Women’s group, and especially enjoyed planning and attending the annual Mother-Daughter Banquet. She was a member of the Amboy Community Club, IOOF/Rebekah Lodge, Past Noble Grands, Friendly Hour Club, Marathon, Bridge, Just Us, and various other card clubs. In her later years she went on many trips with her friends. Hazel enjoyed all types of needlework, especially quilting, crochet, and hardanger. She made alter cloths and other beautiful pieces for her church. Over the years she also made hundreds of quilts for gifts and charity, along with special ones to raffle as fund raisers for the Amboy Community Club and Betsy-Tacy Society. Hazel loved gardening and flower arranging. She was a great cook and hosted many family meals, including Thanksgiving and Easter. She especially enjoyed having her grandkids, great-grandkids, and great-great-grandkids over to her house on Sundays to watch the Vikings. She also loved family trips and anything she could do with all five generations. Hazel’s greatest joy was her family. She especially loved the little ones, rocking them, reading stories, singing songs from her childhood and other special activities. She was the best babysitter ever! As the kids grew up, she looked forward to every concert, program, dance recital, and play that she could attend, to cheer them on. Hazel went home to Heaven on Sunday, March 4th, 2012. She has left a legacy of faith, family, and friendship to those who follow. Surviving her are: Son: Richard (Lois) Dethloff; Granddaughter: Kelly (Karl G.) Reuter; Great-grandchildren: Karl C. (Deborah) Reuter, Shelby (David) Kirchner, all of Amboy; Allegra Reuter of Mankato; Great-great-grandchildren: MacKenzie Hazel, Brooke Elizabeth, Reagan Jean, and Christian Joseph Reuter; Brennan Karl and Kennedy Leia Kirchner. Also surviving are nieces and nephews: Joan (Myron) Schutt, Neva (Jim) Pfeffer, Judy (Michael) Berg, Michael (Marge) Klein, Lauri (Larry) Mailloux, and Betty Malchow; Half-brothers: Ronald Hicks and Kenneth Hicks. Step Daughter, Phyllis Haroldson of Amboy; Step –Grandchildren: Kevin (Judy) Haroldson, Peggy (Bob) Johnson, Jim Ratcliffe, Tim (Karen) Haroldson, Kim (Duane) Stock, Cynthia Scherer, Tina Haroldson, Michelle Ratcliffe, Leslie (Dan) Roline, and many step-great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. Preceded in death by: Husband Oscar Dethloff in 1957; husband Carlos Ratcliffe in 1980; Step-son Willis (Edith Ann) Ratcliffe; four sisters and their husbands – Una (Walter) Nobles; Merle (Jack)McCormick/(Carl)Schmid; Ferne (Floyd)Pritchard; Arline (Si)Klein; nephew Danny McCormick; Half-brother Stanley Hicks. Celebration of Life will be held at Amboy United Methodist Church at 11:00 Monday, March 19, 2012, with Pastor Jean Sidner, officiating.