Joe was born on October 15, 1947 in Missouri. He was a graduate of the University of San Diego high school and San Diego State University. After graduating from San Diego State Joe entered the Army for two years and was stationed in Germany. Joe had a great love for literature and philosophy as well as the cinema and theater. Joe was a true native San Diegan, his father Forrest Ratliff is a veteran of the Navy and his mother Trinity was of Italian and Mexican descent.

Nothing could embody the historyof San Diego and culture better than Joe's own heritage. He was proud to be a San Diego native son and a loyal fan of his alma mater the San Diego State Aztecs.

It is both poignant and appropriate that it in Joes last year on earth his beloved Aztecs had outstanding years in both football and basketball. Joe was a unique and colorful human being he followed his own star and love of philosophy and critical thinking permeated his life. Joe was the kind of person who deeply cared about right and wrong, and all of us who knew him can remember with both humor and fondness how intense he could get in a discussion. Joe was a philosophy student of the renowned Dr. Alan William Anderson of San Diego State.

Joe was proud of his heritage and you could see both sides of itin his personality, the Ratliff family has deep roots in America coming from Missouri and before that Kentucky and Virginia and can trace its origins in America the founding of the country. In the last two years Joe became interested in genealogy while still keeping up with his interest in literature Theatre and Movies. Although Joe loved the ladies he never married.
 
Joe was a firm believer in the world unseen, he was an accomplished astrologer a firm believer in the survival of the human spirit, and death did not frighten him. He was a kind and loyal friend and had a deep affection for his friends and his many cousins. We all thank Joe for his love and friendship, his humor and his companionship over the years.