It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved Bert Ratcliffe on November 19th. He was a wonderful son, brother, cousin, uncle, and great uncle. Born in Vernon, BC, on January 7th, 1953 to Francis Joseph and Margaret Lucinda Ratcliffe. Bert grew up in Kelowna and spent the majority of his career with CN in Montreal, QC. A great lover of trains, music, and especially friends, family, skiing, and the great outdoors, he was happiest on his river canoe trips back East and day hikes here in the West Kootenay (as he insisted we call the region).
Bert is survived by siblings Jim, Mary (Jerry), Hugh (Maureen), Elizabeth (Leslie) and Jeanine, step-siblings Maurice (Jeanne), Kathy (Tun), and Don (Claire), as well as many, many cousins, nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Joe and Margaret (Steve), siblings Caroline (Al), (Ray) and Vince, and nephew Jesse. After the passing of Vince in 2008, Bert made sure that his late brother’s children, Jeremy, Joel, and Julia, always had a home to come back to in Nelson during the holidays and all the times between.
Please join us to celebrate Bert’s life on Saturday, December 14th at 2:00 p.m. in the Cathedral of Mary Immaculate, 813 Ward Street, followed by a public reception downstairs in the Cathedral’s Jubilee Room.
Memorial donations may be made to the Nelson Food Bank, to brighten Nelson Christmases as Bert always did.
Online condolences may be expressed at thompsonsfs.ca