Peter Ratcliff's adoptive mother, Charlotte West Ratcliffe, in a younger photograph. Charlotte's parents were Edna and Frank West.

Pete Ratcliffe is at the head of the table. His dear mother, Charlotte, had passed away that spring and we  wanted to honor Pete. My siblings and I with Grandma Mary West Rusho. L to R: Michael (deceased), Josie (living in WA), Pete, myself (Barbara), Bernadette (deceased) with Gram Mary (deceased).

Pete was often at family celebrations. This was my 5th birthday with my brother, Michael, (bow tie!!) and neighbor, Christy.

Pete was our neighbor when I was a boy growing up. He had just graduated high school when we moved next door on Cherryvale Road.  He was one of the most unique people I have ever met, undoubtedly somewhere on the autism spectrum but a photographic memory, able to read a book in a few hours, fascinated with almost every aspect of life, a genius in many ways and yet almost no social skills. He was adopted and his father died while he was young. His mother was a gracious lady, the librarian at the National Bureau of Standards I think, but thought TV was a waste of time so Pete would come to our house to watch it. He never knew when to leave so my parents finally just told him to turn off the TV and lights when he left. I remember him computing the orbits of the first satellites and lying on our backs in the yard while he pointed out the blinking satellite flying overhead. My older brother was 8 years younger than Pete but probably was his best friend for a number of years as they climbed many of Colorado's "fourteeners" each summer and did various experiments in his basement. I really have too many memories of those years in the 50's and 60's to recount but it's sad his obituary only includes his birth and death and there was no one to write about what a unique and special person he was. It's rare that my brother and I don't get together and recall a story about "our" Pete.

Crist Mortuary & Cremation and Mountain View Memorial Park

Peter Ratcliffe

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Peter Gordan Ratcliffe

29 March, 1938 – 25 November, 2019

Crist Mortuary & Cremation and Mountain View Memorial Park

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