Mary Elizabeth Ratchford

It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Mary Elizabeth Ratchford, a beacon of light and love, who left us on April 3, 2024. Born in Colorado Springs, CO on April 16, 1985, Mary was a force of nature. She was a compassionate soul, a creative spirit, and a talented individual who put her heart and soul into everything she did. As Maya Angelou once said, "You can only become truly accomplished at something you love." Mary did just that, transforming her passion for cleaning into a thriving business, "Mary's Cleaning Services."

Mary was an embodiment of love and respect, a woman who could unite a room even when the odds were stacked against her. She was a homebody at heart but never shied away from joining the fun. Her creative talents shone brightly in her painting, drawing, and crafting hobbies, as well as in her small business "Black Girl Magic," where she was a regular participant in pop up shops. Mary's talent was not limited to her creative pursuits. She was a high achiever acadically, gracing the dean's list and honor roll during her nursing school years. As a high school student, she was a proud member of the Montbello swim team and later graduated from William Smith High School in 2004.

Yet, the center of Mary's universe was her family. Despite being separated, she was married and was a loving mother to her four daughters, Alieda, Tela, Patricia, and Lyric, and a dedicated fiance to Sean Nutter. She was also survived by her sister, Michelle Ratchford. She was preceded in death by her parents, Gary Ratchford and Patricia Jean. To quote author Mitch Albom, "The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in." Mary's life was a testament to this belief, as she gave out love abundantly and received it in return.

A viewing and visitation will be held on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at 10:00 am MDT, at the Cross of Glory Lutheran Church, located at 1991 South Oneida Street, Denver, Colorado, 80224. This will be followed by a Celebration of Life at 11:00 am MDT at the same venue. We invite you to join us in celebrating Mary's life and the love she shared with us all.

In memory of Mary, we encourage you to leave your own treasured memories and upload photos to the memorial page. Share your stories of her creativity, compassion, and love. In doing so, we can keep her spirit alive and remember the joy she brought into our lives.