James Washington Ratliff Jr was born on 28 Dec 1924 in Cheraw, SC, the oldest child of James Washington Ratliff, Sr and Henrietta Rebecca Burch Ratliff. He attended the public schools in Cheraw, where he was elected class president for all four years of high school. He graduated from the University of South Carolina where he earned several degrees and was an outstanding member of the track team during his undergraduate years.
Once he went to USC, he never left, staying on after graduation as a health and physical education teacher and living in the Columbia, SC area for the rest of his life. He was in the College of Education at USC for over 40 years, retiring as Professor Emeritus, one of the first to be granted tenure in a very publicized fashion. He was assistant track coach under Sterling DuPre at USC and was the men's swimming coach.
Known to his family as "James" and to his many friends as "Jimmy," he coached the Forest Lake Country Club swim and dive teams, and with Lee Coty, he began the Columbia Swim League. He and his wife began the Forest Lake Baseball League.
On 21 June 1947, James married Elizabeth Anne "Bam" Moody of Aiken, SC. They had three children: Dr James Washington "Jim" Ratliff III (married Dyane Gist), Patricia Anne "Pat" Ratliff(married Robert Kahle), and Susan Elizabeth "Beth" Ratliff (married David J Cohen).
James was a member of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral where he served in several capacities over the years.
He died on 3 Jun 2003, at the age of 78, at Lexington Medical Center. A funeral service was held on 6 Jun at Caughman-Harman Funeral Homes Irmo/St. Andrews Chapel. Burial followed in Bush River Memorial Gardens.
Once he went to USC, he never left, staying on after graduation as a health and physical education teacher and living in the Columbia, SC area for the rest of his life. He was in the College of Education at USC for over 40 years, retiring as Professor Emeritus, one of the first to be granted tenure in a very publicized fashion. He was assistant track coach under Sterling DuPre at USC and was the men's swimming coach.
Known to his family as "James" and to his many friends as "Jimmy," he coached the Forest Lake Country Club swim and dive teams, and with Lee Coty, he began the Columbia Swim League. He and his wife began the Forest Lake Baseball League.
On 21 June 1947, James married Elizabeth Anne "Bam" Moody of Aiken, SC. They had three children: Dr James Washington "Jim" Ratliff III (married Dyane Gist), Patricia Anne "Pat" Ratliff(married Robert Kahle), and Susan Elizabeth "Beth" Ratliff (married David J Cohen).
James was a member of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral where he served in several capacities over the years.
He died on 3 Jun 2003, at the age of 78, at Lexington Medical Center. A funeral service was held on 6 Jun at Caughman-Harman Funeral Homes Irmo/St. Andrews Chapel. Burial followed in Bush River Memorial Gardens.
James Washington Ratliff Jr was born on 28 Dec 1924 in Cheraw, SC, the oldest child of James Washington Ratliff, Sr and Henrietta Rebecca Burch Ratliff. He attended the public schools in Cheraw, where he was elected class president for all four years of high school. He graduated from the University of South Carolina where he earned several degrees and was an outstanding member of the track team during his undergraduate years.
Once he went to USC, he never left, staying on after graduation as a health and physical education teacher and living in the Columbia, SC area for the rest of his life. He was in the College of Education at USC for over 40 years, retiring as Professor Emeritus, one of the first to be granted tenure in a very publicized fashion. He was assistant track coach under Sterling DuPre at USC and was the men's swimming coach.
Known to his family as "James" and to his many friends as "Jimmy," he coached the Forest Lake Country Club swim and dive teams, and with Lee Coty, he began the Columbia Swim League. He and his wife began the Forest Lake Baseball League.
On 21 June 1947, James married Elizabeth Anne "Bam" Moody of Aiken, SC. They had three children: Dr James Washington "Jim" Ratliff III (married Dyane Gist), Patricia Anne "Pat" Ratliff(married Robert Kahle), and Susan Elizabeth "Beth" Ratliff (married David J Cohen).
James was a member of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral where he served in several capacities over the years.
He died on 3 Jun 2003, at the age of 78, at Lexington Medical Center. A funeral service was held on 6 Jun at Caughman-Harman Funeral Homes Irmo/St. Andrews Chapel. Burial followed in Bush River Memorial Gardens.
Once he went to USC, he never left, staying on after graduation as a health and physical education teacher and living in the Columbia, SC area for the rest of his life. He was in the College of Education at USC for over 40 years, retiring as Professor Emeritus, one of the first to be granted tenure in a very publicized fashion. He was assistant track coach under Sterling DuPre at USC and was the men's swimming coach.
Known to his family as "James" and to his many friends as "Jimmy," he coached the Forest Lake Country Club swim and dive teams, and with Lee Coty, he began the Columbia Swim League. He and his wife began the Forest Lake Baseball League.
On 21 June 1947, James married Elizabeth Anne "Bam" Moody of Aiken, SC. They had three children: Dr James Washington "Jim" Ratliff III (married Dyane Gist), Patricia Anne "Pat" Ratliff(married Robert Kahle), and Susan Elizabeth "Beth" Ratliff (married David J Cohen).
James was a member of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral where he served in several capacities over the years.
He died on 3 Jun 2003, at the age of 78, at Lexington Medical Center. A funeral service was held on 6 Jun at Caughman-Harman Funeral Homes Irmo/St. Andrews Chapel. Burial followed in Bush River Memorial Gardens.
