Bemidji - Grace Ratkovec, 85, died Sunday, October 1, 2000 at MeritCare Hospital in Fargo, N.D.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, October 5 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji with Rev. Hyle Anderson officiating. Interment will be in Mount Olive Cemetery, rural Trail.
Visitation will be held today (Wednesday, October 4) from 4 to 7 p.m. with a 6 p.m. prayer service at Cease Family Funeral Home in Bemidji. Visitation will also be held for one hour prior to services at the church.
Grace Verzella Barstow was born on February 24, 1915 in Becker county, the daughter of Ellsworth and Odelia (Vivier) Barstow. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith and was raised and educated near Mahnomen.
On March 11, 1933, she was married to Otto Voeltz. They lived near Flom and Waubun. In 1946, they moved to Trail. For several years, Grace worked as a cook in the cook car for railroad crews for the Soo Line Railroad.
On December 27, 1957, she married John Ratkovec in Watertown, S.D. The couple moved to the Minneapolis area where Grace did housework for people at their homes. In 1968, they moved to the Bemidji area. They took care of many foster children.
Grace enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, traveling and gardening.
Survivors include her husband, John Ratkovec of Bemidji; a son, Vernon (JoAnn) Voeltz of Trail; two daughters, Shirley Voeltz of Twin Valley and Sylvia (Howard) Flateland of Trail; 11 grandchildren; six step grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; two step great-grandchildren; three great great-grandchildren; a foster daughter, Ruthann Patch, at home; two brothers, Clement and Charles; two sisters, Viva and Vera; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Grace was preceded in death by her parents; a grandson, Ronnie Voeltz; a great-grandson, Zachry Flateland; a stepdaughter, Delorus Lopez; six brothers, Edward, Earl, Leonard, Ellsworth, Vernon and Raymond; a sister, Gladys Mary; and her first husband.
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