Milton Ratzlaff

Milton Ratzlaff, 86, of St. James passed away on Thursday, October 13, 2016 at Pleasant View Good Samaritan Center in St. James surrounded by his family. Funeral services will be 11:00 on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at Hosanna Free Lutheran Church in St. James with Pastor Joe Faldet officiating. Visitation will be Tuesday, October 18, 2016 from 5-7 pm at the church and one hour before the services on Wednesday. Burial will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery. Milton was born November 28, 1929 to Benjamin H. and Anna I. (Penner) Ratzlaff of Mt. Lake. Milton attended the Mt. Lake Public Schools and graduated in 1948. He was drafted into the Army in 1951 and served as a cryptographer until his discharge in 1953. He did basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana. As a senior in high school, Milt began working at the Mt. Lake Appliance store in 1947 and again after his discharge from the Army. He also worked at Epps Department Store in Mt. Lake in the men's wear and shoe department. He met and courted Elaine Blanche Dodge of St. James and won her over with a ride on his Harley Davidson motorcycle. They married on October 7, 1957 and lived in Mt. Lake until 1960 when they moved to St. James. Milt began working at the North Side Super Market until 1962 and then went to work for the Collier's Red Owl Supermarket. In 1992 he worked for the St. James Public School for four years. Milt enjoyed visiting with people, taking the time to find out who they were related to and finding ways to connect them to people he knew. He was a huge sports fan of both professional and high school level and enjoyed attending Vikings and Twins games as well as supporting high school sports. He never passed up an opportunity to be with friends and family and his most fond memories are of taking his family camping or on motorcycle trips. He loved singing in the men's choir at church and truly enjoyed the time he spent transporting others to appointments. He is survived by his wife, Elaine of St. James, daughters Sheila Ratzlaff-Chute and Shirley (John) Coleman both of St. James, sons Curtis (Jennie) Ratzlaff of Minnetonka Beach, MN and Keith (Mary) Ratzlaff of St. Louis Park, MN. Grandchildren include Emily Coleman and her fianc Justin Johnson of Brooklyn, NY, Macy Coleman and her fianc John Carlson of Pine River, and Daniel Coleman of St. James, Alicia Chute and her fianc Forrest Razo of Butterfield, Michael and Amanda Ratzlaff of Minnetonka Beach, MN, Megan Ratzlaff, and her special friend Jacob Kunz of Minneapolis and three great-grandchildren, Benton Freitag, Sophia and Abel Razo, his sister, Irene (Harold) Becker of St. Paul and his brother, Eldean (Deanna) Ratzlaff of Mt. Lake, sister-in-law Faye (Dennis) Ratzlaff of Mt. Lake and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Melvin, Peter and Edwin and twin sisters Lavina and Edna. Visitation 1 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Tuesday, October 18, 2016 Hosanna Free Lutheran Church- St. James 1176 11th Street S. Saint James, Minnesota, United States 56081 Visitation 2 10:00 am - 11:00 am Wednesday, October 19, 2016 Hosanna Free Lutheran Church- St. James 1176 11th Street S. Saint James, Minnesota, United States 56081 Service Information 11:00 am Wednesday, October 19, 2016 Hosanna Free Lutheran Church- St. James 1176 11th Street S. Saint James, Minnesota, United States 56081 Interment Information Mt. Hope Cemetery, St. James S. CR 27 St. James, Minnesota, United States 56081 Fellowship Please join the family for lunch at the church following burial.