Clara Hedwig Schneider Ratliff

Clara Hedwig Schneider Ratliff, 95, of Amarillo, TX, passed away Nov. 10, 2024, at home surrounded by family. She was a remarkable woman, loved by everyone who ever met her, and we are incredibly sad to have to face a world without her. 

Her service is at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 18, 2024, at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. Private burial will be at Llano Cemetery. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2800 Paramount Blvd.

Clara was born Oct. 8, 1929, in Lindenberg, Germany. She was the youngest of five and grew up on a family farm in the most picturesque area of Bavaria. She awoke each morning to rolling, grass-covered hills, tinkling cow bells and views of the Alps. World War II played a big part in her young life, losing her brother, Hans, and her childhood to the chaos and horrors of war.

Clara’s parents were Franz Xaver Schneider and Christine Rädler Schneider. Her siblings were Hans, Olga, Bertl and Hilde.

Clara’s adventurous spirit began early, leaving home at age 22 and working as a nanny for an American diplomat family in London, where she attended the coronation parade of Queen Elizabeth. She also worked in Paris before emigrating with that family to Washington, DC. She found a community of German women, who became lifelong friends, and they shared apartments, threw legendary cocktail parties, traveled across the states by Greyhound bus and took a ship back to Europe and traveled all over there as well. 

After returning to Washington, DC, she met a tall Texan, Harvey Lee Ratliff, Jr., who worked at the patent office. He had his own car and once on a date, he startled her by appearing to be fresh, but he was actually only reaching to help buckle her seatbelt. He introduced her to the delicious combination of a hamburger and a chocolate milkshake, which she thought was disgusting. He was kind, handsome and brilliant and charmed the beautiful mädchen into marrying him. They wed March 18, 1961, at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Amarillo, TX.

They were ready to start a family immediately and had five children in less than seven years. Clara loved being a mom and made it her life’s passion to raise them well and take care of all of those around her. 

Her children are Thomas Lee, Franklin Xaver, Harvey Locke, Lillie Christine and George Whittenburg. They moved the family back to Amarillo to stay in 1972.

She was the kind of mom everyone dreams of: loving, fun and always ready for a party. She awoke her school-aged children every morning carrying glasses of orange juice on a tray up the stairs to each of their rooms. She cooked enormous, delicious meals. Her husband was a strong believer in the health benefits of carrot juice, so she made a first dinner of fruit, nuts and carrot juice and then a second dinner of meat and potatoes. Her desserts were legendary, especially her Black Forest Cake, which she made for big events and was made with enough chocolate layers and whipped cream to serve 30 people. We always had friends spending the night, owned more pets than you could count (including George having 19 snakes at one point), and constantly had foreign exchange students or relatives from all over. And with five teenagers, our driveway resembled a parking lot. 

Clara loved classical music. She served on countless boards for the symphony and arts, and she and Harvey heartily supported them in Amarillo. She could throw a party that would knock your socks off, but in reality, it was her warmth and inclusivity that made everyone feel welcomed and celebrated, in big ways and countless small ways. 

Soon her children married, and her grandchildren became her new passion, being known as “Oma” far and wide. Her grandchildren spent countless hours with her. She hosted Sunday family lunches for 20 every single week. She threw elaborate tea parties for grandchildren in the dining room, complete with fine china, fresh flowers, and dress-up clothes. She hosted Oma and PaPa camps out at the Palo Duro Club cabin, where they would only speak German at the breakfast table and have art lessons in the afternoon with their PaPa. They sang German songs and could be heard harmonizing while riding in the golf cart to swim at the pool. She went to every sporting event, every musical, every play, every graduation. For her 90th birthday she treated all her children and grandchildren who could make it – totaling more than 30 – to an Alaskan cruise that many say was the best vacation of their life. She took her children and their families back to Lindenberg to stay on the farm and get to know her family there, constantly having to translate English to German and vice versa.

She was an avid reader, reading a book a week until shortly before her death. She was incredibly intuitive, knowing things far before anyone told her the news. She had such a charming German accent even after living in Texas for more than 50 years. She would mix up colloquialisms, once saying, “Lillie, I can read you like the book in my hand,” and encouraging a brokenhearted teen with, “There are more fish in the ocean.” She was incredibly funny, a good storyteller and had an amazing wit. She could solve most any of your problems over a strong cup of her German coffee and a baked treat.

She was tough as nails. One time, as the story goes, she cut herself and needed stitches. But she was at the cabin and just found a needle and thread and did it herself. She had both knees replaced at the same time, something no doctor would do now. She fought through cancer, the loss of her husband and son, and heart disease. In June, she was given days to live, but we got to have her for five more months. We threw a backyard party celebrating her 95th birthday, which she declared her best birthday ever.

Clara was preceded in death by her loving husband, Harvey, of 55 years, her amazing son Harvey and great grandchild Isaiah Bennett.

She is survived by her sister Hilde of Lindenberg and children Thomas and Glyna Ratliff of College Station, TX, Franklin and Sunny Ratliff of Amarillo, Lillie and Jeff Farris of Amarillo and George and Bess Ratliff of Portland, OR.

She has 18 grandkids: Derek Ratliff, Michelle (Lucas) Aubrey, Rebecca (Landan) Quartemont and David (Eliza) Ratliff; Kallie (Kameron) Bennett, Matthew (Haley) Ratliff, Hollee (Andrew) Heim, Mary Kate Ratliff; Madison Ratliff, Frankie Ratliff; Anna Farris and fiancé Ian Beaver, Sarah Farris, Delaney Farris, Henry Farris; Blix Ratliff, Olivia Ratliff and Teddy Ratliff; and in every way but blood, Ali (Kenny) Rousselo. She has 13 great-grandchildren: Elijah, Finley, Deacon, Knox, Samuel, Haven, Rosalie; Peter, Kal, Sonny, Keefer, Arthur and Ava.

She has numerous nieces and nephews, both here and in Germany, whom she loved dearly. 

And although she left her family in Germany, Harvey’s family and cousins lovingly took her under their wings. Nothing was more important than family to Clara, but she also managed to make lifelong friends wherever she lived, including being a founding member of the “German mafia” here in Amarillo.

We will miss her more than we can ever say but take comfort in knowing that she is in heaven with the Lord and her Harveys.

In lieu of flowers, send donations to the Amarillo Symphony or to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church.