Constance Marie "Conni" Ratcliff

Constance Marie “Conni” Spaulding Ratcliff, 66, Silver Lake, passed away at her daughter’s home in Huntington on June 10, 2023. The daughter of John Spaulding Jr. and Izona (Guyer) Knipp, Conni was born in Marion, IN on July 17, 1956.

Conni attended Marion High School, Marion, IN. She also later in life went on to pursue an Associates in Arts degree in Accounting from Ivy Tech. She then pursued her Certificate as a professional DSP, Direct Support Provider. She was employed as a Direct Service Provider at Cardinal Services in Warsaw for over fifteen years. Conni worked in the Ponderosa House, also known as the Pondo, where she gave individuals the care they needed and was a weekend supervisor. The ladies she cared for were her family and still spoke to one on the phone regularly up until her passing.

Conni was a woman of many talents and an accomplished poet. Some of her work can be found in the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. A caring and passionate human being, Conni’s love extended to her four-legged friends. She was an animal activist who cared about their wellbeing so much that she founded Free Pets to a Good Home, an online Facebook group matching pets to good homes through an extensive process. She eventually grew the site so much that she had to find other administrators to help with the adoption process. Conni also had a deep love for German Shepherds, especially her own two, Sampson and Riley. For many years she bred AKC German Shepherds and found them the perfect homes.

On November 9, 2005, Conni married Greg Ratcliff in Kosciusko County. They shared a love of poetry, their dogs, and were true partners in life.

The loving memory of Conni Ratcliff will be forever cherished by her husband, Greg Ratcliff, Silver Lake; daughters, Christina Marie (Doni) Guthrie, North Manchester, Jolene Stephanie (Philip) West, Huntington, and Michelle Lynn (Lapreece Lamont Peete) Gartner, Huntington; brothers, John W. (Ling) Spaulding, Fairmont, Jerry E. (Pam) Spaulding, Servia, Raymond L. (Debbie) Spaulding, London, Kentucky, and Timothy W. (Melinda) Spaulding, Anderson; sisters, Mary-Ellen Grace Bradley, Marion and Alicia Jean (James) Dunbar, Wisconsin; twenty grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. Conni was preceded in death by her parents, John Spaulding Jr. and Izona (Guyer) Knipp; brother, James P. Spaulding; sister, Dena D. Ford; brother-in-law, Walt Bradley; grandchild, Nashwa William Melton; grandchildren Scottie and Jeremy “Bobby” Melton; and great-grandchildren, Serenity and Remi Melton.

A celebration of Conni’s life will be held Saturday, June 17, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. with calling beginning at 10:00 a.m. at McKee Mortuary, 1401 State Road 114 West, North Manchester, Indiana. Pastor J.P. Freeman will officiate.

For those who wish to honor the memory of Conni Ratcliff, memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association or American Heart Association.

The family of Conni Ratcliff has entrusted McKee Mortuary with care and final arrangements.

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