Michael Ratliff was born June 17, 1981, in Oklahoma City, OK. As his favorite DC Talk song says, he became “heavenbound” on June 29, 2020, after a long battle with mental illness and addiction. He is finally at peace, and his large and loving family will memorialize the big-hearted, rambunctious, and sensitive Michael they knew.
He was preceded in death by his Grandpa Hank Ratliff and his Granny Louise Tomberlin.
He is survived by his steadfast parents, Rick and Shari Ratliff and Liz Brantley and Doug Yaw; sisters Rikki, Nicole, Erica, Monique, Sophia, and Rafferty; brother Jon-Luke; grandparents Lonnie and LaDonna Mitchell and Jean Ratliff; uncles Larry, Richard, and Tony; aunts Cindy, Sharon, and Monica; in-loves Derek, Mitch, Courtney, and Kendrik; and heart-stealing nieces and nephews Mary-Kate, Fenix, MJ, Cruz, Gunner, Garric, Luca, Grady, Peyton, Coral, Eloise; and cherished cousins.
Michael was about as Okie as you could get. He chased tornadoes, noodled fish, played guitar, drove big trucks, and loved Sooner football. He was such a Sooner that one summer he let his grass grow high enough to mow the OU logo into his lawn.
His youth was filled with exploring the woods, swimming in dirty creeks, climbing trees, teasing sisters with grody bugs and “full moons,” and teaching his little brother about being a real Oklahoma boy who revels in cars, guns, and girls.
When his siblings became involved in competitive sports, you would find him cheering them on from the sidelines. They could not find a louder, prouder, or more loyal fan.
Michael’s passions were composing music, creating videos, and loving on dogs. There was not a dog he didn’t love or try to make his own.
He turned one of his passions—storm-chasing—into a paid hobby. Beyond the wild adventure of gunning headfirst into a tornado and capturing it on camera, he was concerned about the safety of Oklahomans and ensuring that they had all the information they needed about the location, speed, and size of a tornado. Chasing these “beautiful disasters,” as he called them, was a form of therapy for him and a source of great pride, so much that his back became a canvas for tattoo artwork of an F5 tornado. He was fearless in the chase, touching the edges of dangerous storms, and while he had a few close calls that made his family nervous, he managed to avoid being swept up in the destruction himself.
Although he tried fiercely over the years to find calm in his personal storms, sadly, they were the only ones he couldn’t outrun. It was his complicated mind, however, that was the source of so much creativity in writing, singing, composing, and media creation. His older sister, a media professional, often remarked that he was the more talented sibling; he just chose the tougher trail.
What his family will remember most about Michael is his ability to laugh and to make others laugh, especially when they least expected it. He was the class clown wherever class was held—school, church, weddings, grocery stores, and any other inappropriate place one could imagine.
His family envisions him already charming Jesus with his mischievous smile and strumming his guitar to a captive audience, enduringly at peace.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a gift in memory of Michael to Sunbeam Family Services’ mental health program. You can make a gift by visiting www.sunbeamfamilyservices.org/Michael and selecting “Donation Designation” in Michael’s memory, calling (405) 609-2311, or sending a check to Sunbeam Family Services, 1100 NW 14th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73106.
“Weather is ever-changing, my friend, and that’s why I keep coming back.”