Services for Ronnie Dean Bratcher, 74, of Roff are 2:00 p.m. Thursday at the Criswell Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. Tony Folger will officiate. Burial will follow at Lightning Ridge Cemetery, near Roff.
Mr. Bratcher passed away Sunday, December 27, 2015 at Ada. He was born November 2, 1941 at Vanoss to Shortie and Vera Loreta Hunt Bratcher. He graduated from Roff High School in 1960, where he played baseball and basketball, and was active in FFA. He attended East Central State College after high school.
Mr. Bratcher married Mary Ann Harber on his birthday in 1963. This was his greatest gift and one of the last things he said to her was, “You’ll always be my sweetheart.” They were happily married for 52 years and celebrated their 50th Anniversary at the Wintersmith Lodge with scores of family and friends.
Mr. Bratcher retired from Curwood Inc. in Pauls Valley in 2000. Before being employed there, he was in retail management with T. G. & Y. Stores. He served in the U.S. Army National Guard from 1963 to 1972, taking his basic training at Fort Ord, California.
Mr. Bratcher was an avid hunter and outdoorsman and raised registered paint horses throughout his life. He was active in the American Paint Horse Association. He taught his grandchildren how to care for horses and competitively show them in county fairs.
Aside from his family, Mr. Bratcher’s greatest love was Roff High School sports. He was an avid fan, traveling all over the state to watch his beloved Tigers play. He was known by many as “Mr. Roff Baseball”. He rarely missed a game.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Ann, of the home; a son, Mark Bratcher, of Pauls Valley; a daughter, Lisa Gouge and her husband Bryce of Ada; four grandchildren, Emily Butcher, Anna Bratcher, Daniel Bratcher, and Brooks Gouge; three sisters, Charlotte Wood of Eufaula, Norma Weatherman and her husband Larry of Wylie, Texas, and Sandra Jantz and her husband Steve of Yukon; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his twin brother, Donnie Gene Bratcher.
Pallbearers are cousins, Aaron Cornell, Ashley Cornell, Glenn Cornell, Ryan Cornell, C.J. Johnson, and Dayne Parker.
Honorary pallbearers are members of the Roff Tigers baseball team.
Criswell Funeral Home, Ada
