Martha Gay Ratliff

Martha Gay Kokernot Ratliff was born on November 2, 1941, and passed away peacefully at home on April 21, 2023. Gay was born to Rosemary Kibbe Breeden Kokernot and Frederick David Kokernot, Jr. She began her childhood on her family’s ranch in Gonzales County and grew up in Cuero, Victoria, and Austin. This upbringing gave Gay a lifelong appreciation of beautiful things, formal entertaining, and small Texas towns.

Gay enrolled at the University of Texas in Austin in the fall of 1959. While there she pledged the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. A true Texas beauty, she was voted one of the ten most beautiful women on campus and selected as a Texas Cowboy Sweetheart. Most importantly, however, it is where she met her future husband, Shannon Harrison Ratliff. Gay and Shannon had a long and happy marriage of 59 years. They were blessed with three wonderful children: Shannon Harrison Ratliff, II, Rosemary Kokernot Ratliff Harris, and Claire Elizabeth Kokernot Ratliff.

Gay was naturally gregarious and social and was blessed with many treasured friendships, especially those with her lifelong best friend and Gum Spit Sister Letty Lew Hartman Lloyd and her dear friend Sally Rose Ramsey.

She had a natural eye and talent for design that she developed further through dedicated study of the decorative arts, spending many late nights poring over her immense collection of design books. Gay founded her own successful interior design business, and her work was featured in many national design magazines.

Gay was a passionate supporter of the arts and historic preservation, including efforts to restore the historic Paramount Theater, helping to found the Austin Lyric Opera, and serving on the Texas Historical Commission, where she worked actively with her dear friend and then First Lady of Texas Linda Gale White on the Texas Main Street Program. She also dedicated her time and efforts to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Preservation Austin, and Friends of the Governor’s Mansion, to name only a few.

The daughter of a rancher, she had a love for and way with animals that allowed her to gentle even the wildest strays resulting in an endless menagerie of pets. She was happiest entertaining friends, caring for the house that she lovingly restored, and tending to her garden.

Her most beloved role, however, was “Mamie” to her two grandchildren, Caroline Abbott Ratliff and Shannon Harrison Ratliff, III.

In addition to her husband, children and grandchildren, Gay is survived by her daughter-in-law Rémi Abbott Ratliff and her son-in-law August “Happy” Harris; her sister Joy Kokernot and niece Sarah Kokernot; her goddaughter Rosemary Ramsey Stewart; and her dear friend of 44 years Alicia Flores.

Funeral services celebrating Gay's life will be held at Grace Episcopal Church in Cuero, Texas, where Gay was baptized and married, on Wednesday, April 26, at 11 AM. A burial service will be held at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin at 4 PM, with a reception for family and friends to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in her name to the Friends of the Texas Historical Commission or Preservation Austin.