Granville C. Ratcliff, long-time Kingston Springs resident, “slipped the surly bonds of earth, put out (his) hand and touched the face of God” on January 28, 2016, after a hospitalization and brief nursing home stay.
He is predeceased by wife Grace Ratcliff, parents and one brother, Donald Ratcliff. Granville is survived by long-time close friend Addie H. Jones; two sons, Roy Scott Farley and Curtis Cole Ratcliff; close friends Francois and Maggie Van Eeden; and numerous close friends and family, ranging all the way from Wyoming, New Jersey, West Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and elsewhere.
Granville was born in Kingston Springs on October 9, 1939. He attended primary and secondary schools in Kingston Springs. Granville served his country in the Air Force for 20 years, and during that time of his career was a decorated Vietnam Veteran.
After retiring from the Air Force in Cheyenne, Wyoming, he began a long career as a law enforcement officer. First, he served as a Laramie County Deputy Sheriff in Cheyenne, Wyoming, later returning to Tennessee, where he served as a Deputy Sheriff in Sullivan, Putnam and Cheatham Counties.
In 2012, he retired from the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee as a Court Security Officer.
Granville was known as a no-nonsense, hard-shelled officer and individual. Those who knew him well can attest that he combined that with a kind and generous heart.
Granville was a member of Gospel Chapel in Nashville.
His funeral was held on February 2, 2016, conducted by West Harpeth Funeral Home in Nashville. The service was officiated by Pastor John Phelan of Gospel Chapel . He was laid to rest at the Middle Tennessee Veterans Cemetery on McCrory Lane, accompanied by full military honors.