John Henry Ratterree, 99, of Fort Smith entered into rest Jan. 28, 2003, in his home. He was born Jan. 4, 1904, in a log cabin in Indian Territory Gilmore, Okla. He was a member of the Double Branch Baptist Church in Gilmore, Okla., an original enrollee of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, owned a small grocery store in Shady Point and then moved to Fort Smith, where he worked for Life and Casualty Insurance for 19 years, and was also a night clerk at the Goldman Hotel in Fort Smith.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Ada Louise Ratterree; a brother, Aud Ratterree; a son, Donald P. Ratterree; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He was survived by three daughters, Billie Mixon of Tucson, Ariz., Kay Schumacher of Fresno, Calif., and Betty Fenton of Lake Forest, Calif.; four sons, Griff Ratterree of Kelseyville, Calif., John D., Gene and Leslie Ratterree, all of Fort Smith; one sister, Lona Kathryn Dryden of Poteau; a sister-in-law, Helen Ratterree of Jacksonville, Fla.; 24 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Charles Duran, Archie Boca, Jackie Paxton, Chris Martin, Eugene Kimble and Ronnie Thompson. Graveside service will be 1 pm Saturday at Forest Park Cemetery in Fort Smith under the direction of Lewis Funeral Chapel of Fort Smith.
