Judith Ratcliff nee McDermid (2/14/1938-1/20/2021) eldest daughter of Warren and Beth McDermid, passed away January 20, 2021 of heart and stomach complications at age 82. She was born in Fresno, California, attended Punahou school in Honolulu, HI, attended San Marino High School in California and U.C. Berkeley for college majoring in Speech. She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority. Returning to Hawaii, upon graduating, she worked for Pan Am Airlines, and she met her first husband, Stephen C. Thayer, Jr. She moved to Dallas, TX with her husband and had two children. She worked for the pesticide task force (an environmentalist organization), enjoyed gardening, and playing tennis. She became divorced. She began a career as a recruiter in the computer science field. She remarried William Ratcliff and with him moved to South Bend, Indiana. She began her own company as a 'headhunter' in Northwest Indiana. She was appointed as a delegate from Indiana for the Republican National Convention. She attended St. James Episcopal Cathedral. She was a member of the South Bend Racquet Club, the Summit Club, and the Notre Dame Quarterback Club. She had, in her later years, a boyfriend, Michael Stay, of whom they were high school acquaintances at San Marino High School. She returned to Kailua, HI, to reside in her parent's home in Lanikai, of which she used as a Winter getaway while living in Indiana. Previously, they would repair to Sarasota, FL. She is predeceased by her sisters Lani Uhry of Tiburon, CA and Cindy Avram of Arvada, CO; son, Peter M. Thayer; and husband Bill Ratcliff. She is survived by one son, two step-sons, her brother-in-law and his spouse, and step- grandchildren. A memorial service was held on January 29, at 1:30 p.m. at Lanikai Beach, the beach access near Kaiolena St. and Mokulua Dr., Kailua, Hawaii. Arrangements Provided By:
Woolsey Funeral & Cemetery Services
