Obituaries

Arely Santos Ratcliff, 98, passed away quietly in her home in Fremont, California on April 3, 2019.

Arely was born to Arturo Rivas-Mena and Maria Luisa Aguilar, on November 1, 1920, in San Salvador, El Salvador. She graduated from the Colegio Guadalupano, located in San Salvador, in 1937 at the age of 16 and received a high school diploma with a concentration in Trade and Finance.

She came to the United States in the year 1941, arriving in the state of Florida with her aunt, Mercedes Werring. Shortly after, they moved to San Francisco where she wanted to continue her studies and find work.

She married Claude Everett Ratcliff in the year 1945, and honeymooned in Sun Valley, Idaho. A year later, in 1946, their first daughter, Carol Anne Ratcliff, was born in San Francisco. In 1951, they gave birth to their second daughter, Patricia Ratcliff, also in San Francisco.

Arely was a homemaker who spent a good portion of her life in San Francisco, and later moving to Fremont in 1987. She was a lover of nature, gardening, taking pride in her roses, and enjoyed long walks in the neighborhood. Arely was also highly skilled with sewing articles of clothing, and crocheting, especially her adorable crocheted hats she was known for amongst family and friends. In addition, some knew that she had a hidden talent for sketching and drawing, filling up many sketchbooks of landscapes, the moon, fruit, vegetables, and flowers. She also kept many journals throughout the years, and composed quite a few poems. Arely’s love of writing probably surpassed all other hobbies as she was dedicated to ensuring that she wrote daily without missing a beat.

She was preceded in death by her father, Arturo Rivas-Mena, her mother, Maria Luisa Aguilar, beloved aunt, Mercedes Werring, and many siblings--Wallace Rivas Cierra, Edwin Rivas Cierra, Arturo Rivas Cierra, Nohemy Harrington, and Angela Serrano.

Arely is survived by her brother, Doctor Carlos Rivas Cierra, her two daughters, Carol Anne Leary, and Patricia (Kent) Milanese. Arely also leaves to cherish her memory 4 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren, whom she loved dearly.