In Memoriam: Richard A. Ratliff

1947-2024

by Ruth McBurney

Richard Allen Ratliff, PE, passed away unexpectedly on 22 October 2024 at the age of 77. He joined the Health Physics Society in 1982 and was active through to his retirement. He was also a very active member of the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD), serving on numerous committees and the Board of Directors, and serving as chairperson during the 2003–2004 CRCPD year. Richard was chairperson of the Organization of Agreement States in 1995 and was a Health Physics Society member from 1982 until his retirement in 2016.

Richard was born on 9 October 1947 to Charles Richard and Agnes Maria Ratliff in Leadville, Colorado. He was the son of a uranium miner, who followed the work from Leadville to Grants, New Mexico, in 1959. Richard was the oldest of five sons and claimed to be "the oldest, the wisest, the most modest, and of course the most humble."

He earned a bachelor of science degree (1970) in electrical engineering from Western New Mexico University in Silver City, New Mexico. It was a great educational opportunity with 10 students and five professors. Their focus was on how to build radiation survey meters. Richard also earned a master of science degree (1975) in health physics engineering from the University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma. Richard worked 44 years at the Texas Department of Health, Bureau of Radiation Control (BRC) in Austin, Texas, retiring on 9 February 2016.

When his dad died at the age of 46, Richard put his technical expertise to work and searched the records kept by the mining companies. A lawsuit settlement had established a compensation fund for mining widows whose husbands had been exposed to a specified level of radiation in the mines. Richard was able to prove that his father had been exposed to four times that amount. "The money didn't do anything to bring back my father," he said, "but it sure helped my mother, a young widow with five sons."

You might ask, "Why on earth did Richard continue working in the field of radiation after all that?" "Because," explained Richard, "there are uncountable good uses of radiation. The health physics field specializes in protecting the health and safety of workers and the public. We choose to work in that field because we see the tremendous benefits of this technology and we want to make it as safe as possible to maintain and increase those benefits."

As bureau chief of the Radiation Control Program in Texas, Richard had a focus on team building. Unknown to many people, he and his division directors, Ruth McBurney and Arthur Tate, wanted to reward their employees but were unable to use state money to do so. So they each contributed $20 a month to a reward fund for BRC employees. The employees were inspired by this, and teams started challenging each other to contribute to the fund. Each year the fund was used for employee awards and recognition and an annual BRC picnic.

Richard was preceded in death by his wife of 42 years, Debra Gabitzsch Ratliff, his parents, and one brother. He is survived by three brothers, several sisters-in-law, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Richard and Debra were members of St. Theresa Catholic Church in Austin, Texas. Richard became a member of St. Louis Catholic Church after Debra's death. He participated in daily Masses at St. Louis Church and other nearby churches. Richard leaves behind many friends and other relatives, and he will be greatly missed by all.