Thomas Lee Ratcliffe

Thomas Lee Ratcliffe, 68, passed away peacefully at his home in Central, SC on Tuesday, Jan. 7, after bravely battling a recurrence of cancer, 26 years after his initial fight. He was born to the late Robert Sr. and Louise Ratcliffe on Sept. 7, 1956 in Highland Park, MI.

A proud native of the Detroit metro area, Tom graduated from Hazel Park High School in 1974 and began his career as a form grinder specialist at Sandvik (formerly Valenite). After 45 years of hard work, and relocating to Upstate South Carolina in 2002, he happily retired at the end of 2019. Tom loved music, ice hockey, card games, and binge-watching his favorite TV shows.

Tom is survived by his cherished and devoted wife of 37 years, Linda Chopp Ratcliffe; his son, Daniel (Danny) of Washington, D.C.; his sister, Patricia Ratcliffe MacDuff of Lapeer, MI; his nieces, Stacey MacDuff Minisee of Lapeer, MI and Kristine Chopp Speck of McDonough, GA; Uncle Ronald Ratcliffe (Carolyn Sweet) of Mayville, MI; along with other relatives, his dear cousins, and lifelong family friends.

He was preceded in death by his eldest son, Shawn Ratcliffe (died Jan. 1, 2010); his brother, Robert (Bobby) Ratcliffe Jr. of Commerce Twp, MI; his in-laws, John and Dolores Chopp of Las Vegas, NV; and his three beloved cats.

Tom’s life was marked by his unwavering commitment to family, his strong work ethic, and his quiet strength. He will be deeply missed by those who knew and loved him.