Mary L. Ratcliffe
Greensboro, NC
Mary Lucile Cummins Gross Ratcliffe passed away on Christmas Eve, 24 December 2013, at peace & in comfort in Greensboro, NC. While her body gradually faded, her spirit remained strong. She joins her loving husband of over 30 years, Stephen E. Ratcliffe, who predeceased her earlier this year. She is missed by her family: Ann Gross of Tulsa, Oklahoma; James Gross, his wife, Laurie, with their children Ryan, Connor, and Kyra of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Steven Gross, M.D., his wife, Brenda, with their children Bailey and Lucy of Greensboro, North Carolina. She is loved by her sister Carole's children: Karen, Thor, Marty, Dan, Liz, Steve, and Julie of the Gormley clan. Her dogs, Jeter and Molly, still hope for some more time to snuggle on her lap.
Born in 1936 to Catherine Muelhaupt and Frank Cummins of strong Irish & German stock, Mary Lu had a happy childhood in Des Moines, Iowa. She attended St. Augustin's and then St. Joseph's Academy. She attended Marycrest College and then earned a degree in Education at Drake University. She married Leo E. Gross and adopted her three children. She was deeply invested in her community including Junior League and Friends of Educational Broadcasting. She became very involved at St. Augustin's School as teacher and Vice Principal. Mary Lu worked at Younkers where she helped automate & update the Bridal Registry. She enjoyed playing golf, tennis, and bridge; writing witty poems; and enjoying the arts. She maintained strong ties with the friends that she made in Des Moines throughout her first 50 years.
She launched a new chapter in her life with her second marriage to Steve Ratcliffe. She did graduate work in Education at the University of Nebraska while living in Omaha. They relocated to Hartford, Connecticut and remained there for over 20 years where she taught elementary at Cathedral School before she focused on tutoring. She embraced technology: teaching computers to students; using programs and the internet to help educate children; and enjoying her tablet to play games, read voraciously, and stay connected. She enjoyed New England by discovering the islands of Maine, making friends at B&B's, and exploring the big cities. She loved her NY Yankees. She transitioned to retirement with Steve in North Carolina.
She loved being around young people, staying young at heart. She weathered many challenges and tragedies with resilience. Her insatiable curiosity, infectious laughter, and loving kindness will be missed.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her honor to organizations that nurture women and develop community such as Junior League (www.ajli.org) or help children in need such as Out of the Garden (www.outofthegardenproject.org). Services in her honor will be held in Des Moines in the summertime.
"Happiness does not depend upon what happens outside of you but what happens inside of you; it is measured by the spirit in which you meet the problems of life." - Wilferd A. Peterson, The Art of Living
Published in Des Moines Register on Jan. 5, 2014
Greensboro, NC
Mary Lucile Cummins Gross Ratcliffe passed away on Christmas Eve, 24 December 2013, at peace & in comfort in Greensboro, NC. While her body gradually faded, her spirit remained strong. She joins her loving husband of over 30 years, Stephen E. Ratcliffe, who predeceased her earlier this year. She is missed by her family: Ann Gross of Tulsa, Oklahoma; James Gross, his wife, Laurie, with their children Ryan, Connor, and Kyra of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Steven Gross, M.D., his wife, Brenda, with their children Bailey and Lucy of Greensboro, North Carolina. She is loved by her sister Carole's children: Karen, Thor, Marty, Dan, Liz, Steve, and Julie of the Gormley clan. Her dogs, Jeter and Molly, still hope for some more time to snuggle on her lap.
Born in 1936 to Catherine Muelhaupt and Frank Cummins of strong Irish & German stock, Mary Lu had a happy childhood in Des Moines, Iowa. She attended St. Augustin's and then St. Joseph's Academy. She attended Marycrest College and then earned a degree in Education at Drake University. She married Leo E. Gross and adopted her three children. She was deeply invested in her community including Junior League and Friends of Educational Broadcasting. She became very involved at St. Augustin's School as teacher and Vice Principal. Mary Lu worked at Younkers where she helped automate & update the Bridal Registry. She enjoyed playing golf, tennis, and bridge; writing witty poems; and enjoying the arts. She maintained strong ties with the friends that she made in Des Moines throughout her first 50 years.
She launched a new chapter in her life with her second marriage to Steve Ratcliffe. She did graduate work in Education at the University of Nebraska while living in Omaha. They relocated to Hartford, Connecticut and remained there for over 20 years where she taught elementary at Cathedral School before she focused on tutoring. She embraced technology: teaching computers to students; using programs and the internet to help educate children; and enjoying her tablet to play games, read voraciously, and stay connected. She enjoyed New England by discovering the islands of Maine, making friends at B&B's, and exploring the big cities. She loved her NY Yankees. She transitioned to retirement with Steve in North Carolina.
She loved being around young people, staying young at heart. She weathered many challenges and tragedies with resilience. Her insatiable curiosity, infectious laughter, and loving kindness will be missed.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her honor to organizations that nurture women and develop community such as Junior League (www.ajli.org) or help children in need such as Out of the Garden (www.outofthegardenproject.org). Services in her honor will be held in Des Moines in the summertime.
"Happiness does not depend upon what happens outside of you but what happens inside of you; it is measured by the spirit in which you meet the problems of life." - Wilferd A. Peterson, The Art of Living
Published in Des Moines Register on Jan. 5, 2014
Mary L. Ratcliffe
Greensboro, NC
Mary Lucile Cummins Gross Ratcliffe passed away on Christmas Eve, 24 December 2013, at peace & in comfort in Greensboro, NC. While her body gradually faded, her spirit remained strong. She joins her loving husband of over 30 years, Stephen E. Ratcliffe, who predeceased her earlier this year. She is missed by her family: Ann Gross of Tulsa, Oklahoma; James Gross, his wife, Laurie, with their children Ryan, Connor, and Kyra of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Steven Gross, M.D., his wife, Brenda, with their children Bailey and Lucy of Greensboro, North Carolina. She is loved by her sister Carole's children: Karen, Thor, Marty, Dan, Liz, Steve, and Julie of the Gormley clan. Her dogs, Jeter and Molly, still hope for some more time to snuggle on her lap.
Born in 1936 to Catherine Muelhaupt and Frank Cummins of strong Irish & German stock, Mary Lu had a happy childhood in Des Moines, Iowa. She attended St. Augustin's and then St. Joseph's Academy. She attended Marycrest College and then earned a degree in Education at Drake University. She married Leo E. Gross and adopted her three children. She was deeply invested in her community including Junior League and Friends of Educational Broadcasting. She became very involved at St. Augustin's School as teacher and Vice Principal. Mary Lu worked at Younkers where she helped automate & update the Bridal Registry. She enjoyed playing golf, tennis, and bridge; writing witty poems; and enjoying the arts. She maintained strong ties with the friends that she made in Des Moines throughout her first 50 years.
She launched a new chapter in her life with her second marriage to Steve Ratcliffe. She did graduate work in Education at the University of Nebraska while living in Omaha. They relocated to Hartford, Connecticut and remained there for over 20 years where she taught elementary at Cathedral School before she focused on tutoring. She embraced technology: teaching computers to students; using programs and the internet to help educate children; and enjoying her tablet to play games, read voraciously, and stay connected. She enjoyed New England by discovering the islands of Maine, making friends at B&B's, and exploring the big cities. She loved her NY Yankees. She transitioned to retirement with Steve in North Carolina.
She loved being around young people, staying young at heart. She weathered many challenges and tragedies with resilience. Her insatiable curiosity, infectious laughter, and loving kindness will be missed.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her honor to organizations that nurture women and develop community such as Junior League (www.ajli.org) or help children in need such as Out of the Garden (www.outofthegardenproject.org). Services in her honor will be held in Des Moines in the summertime.
"Happiness does not depend upon what happens outside of you but what happens inside of you; it is measured by the spirit in which you meet the problems of life." - Wilferd A. Peterson, The Art of Living
Published in Des Moines Register on Jan. 5, 2014
Greensboro, NC
Mary Lucile Cummins Gross Ratcliffe passed away on Christmas Eve, 24 December 2013, at peace & in comfort in Greensboro, NC. While her body gradually faded, her spirit remained strong. She joins her loving husband of over 30 years, Stephen E. Ratcliffe, who predeceased her earlier this year. She is missed by her family: Ann Gross of Tulsa, Oklahoma; James Gross, his wife, Laurie, with their children Ryan, Connor, and Kyra of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Steven Gross, M.D., his wife, Brenda, with their children Bailey and Lucy of Greensboro, North Carolina. She is loved by her sister Carole's children: Karen, Thor, Marty, Dan, Liz, Steve, and Julie of the Gormley clan. Her dogs, Jeter and Molly, still hope for some more time to snuggle on her lap.
Born in 1936 to Catherine Muelhaupt and Frank Cummins of strong Irish & German stock, Mary Lu had a happy childhood in Des Moines, Iowa. She attended St. Augustin's and then St. Joseph's Academy. She attended Marycrest College and then earned a degree in Education at Drake University. She married Leo E. Gross and adopted her three children. She was deeply invested in her community including Junior League and Friends of Educational Broadcasting. She became very involved at St. Augustin's School as teacher and Vice Principal. Mary Lu worked at Younkers where she helped automate & update the Bridal Registry. She enjoyed playing golf, tennis, and bridge; writing witty poems; and enjoying the arts. She maintained strong ties with the friends that she made in Des Moines throughout her first 50 years.
She launched a new chapter in her life with her second marriage to Steve Ratcliffe. She did graduate work in Education at the University of Nebraska while living in Omaha. They relocated to Hartford, Connecticut and remained there for over 20 years where she taught elementary at Cathedral School before she focused on tutoring. She embraced technology: teaching computers to students; using programs and the internet to help educate children; and enjoying her tablet to play games, read voraciously, and stay connected. She enjoyed New England by discovering the islands of Maine, making friends at B&B's, and exploring the big cities. She loved her NY Yankees. She transitioned to retirement with Steve in North Carolina.
She loved being around young people, staying young at heart. She weathered many challenges and tragedies with resilience. Her insatiable curiosity, infectious laughter, and loving kindness will be missed.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her honor to organizations that nurture women and develop community such as Junior League (www.ajli.org) or help children in need such as Out of the Garden (www.outofthegardenproject.org). Services in her honor will be held in Des Moines in the summertime.
"Happiness does not depend upon what happens outside of you but what happens inside of you; it is measured by the spirit in which you meet the problems of life." - Wilferd A. Peterson, The Art of Living
Published in Des Moines Register on Jan. 5, 2014
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