Julia Ratliff, teacher, historian (Brady) Julia left us peacefully May 11, 2022. She was born in Jenks, OK July 21, 1935 to Mike and Evelyn Brady. Not long after that the family moved to Tulsa where she spent her life. She had red hair from her mother. She graduated from Central High School in 1953 and Tulsa University in 1957. She acquired a master's degree from TU as well. She started teaching in the Tulsa Public Schools at the elementary level in a number of schools. She married Dan Ratliff and produced two sons, Sean and Blake. She loved caring for her family. At that time if a woman wanted a career it was either teaching or nursing. She always felt she would have made good lawyer. Once she retired from TPS, she continued to teach at Tulsa Community College. She was a lifelong teacher and learner. Just like Will Rogers, every day started with a cup of coffee and the newspaper (hard copy). After retirement he added a number of organizations that interested her: She was on the board of both the Friends of the Tulsa City-County Library and The Friends of Oklahoma Public Libraries (FOLIO), She was the president of FOLIO from 2000-2002. Julia helped FOLIO get grants from the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation in 2000 (to begin Seed Grants and assist with beginning new Friends groups), and the McCasland Foundation in 2001. She was active in Tulsa Historical Society, and Tulsa Global Alliance . The latter brought the world into her home and a daughter-in-law and three well loved granddaughters. Her daughter-in-law ultimately became the fourth grade Spanish Immersion Teacher at Eisenhower International School. Julia Ratliff was very active with Tulsa Global Alliance (TGA) after she retired from teaching, and hosted many international visitors from all over the world in her home. Julia Ratliff chaired the Annual Gala of the International Council of Tulsa (TGA's predecessor) – "Four Corners of the World" – in 1992 at the Tulsa Garden Center, and served as a Gala committee member as well for several years. Known as Kids' World, in 1993, Julia prepared a 78-page curriculum designed to help teachers prepare thousands of students to attend this multi-day hands-on event. The curriculum included games, passport information, language and math exercises, and a special section on tolerance. It was updated twice, most recently in 2006, to include P.A.S.S. objectives for each lesson. Another project was gathering narrative and material objects to introduce the lives of people in other countries to the students of Tulsa. She wrote a grant that started the "Culture Box" project, together with another retired teacher, Emily Wood. Culture Boxes are filled with toys, games, coins, maps, and other items used by teachers all over the Tulsa area for many years. There are now more than 50 Culture Boxes used by teachers all over the Tulsa area, and these boxes are featured every year at Tulsa Global Alliance's current annual global education event, World in a Box Day, presented in cooperation with the Tulsa City-County Library. There was always another project moving her forward. For many years she wrote opinion pieces for the Tulsa World including one about the event that happened at Camp Scott, where she had been a camper for many years. She followed the route of the 1832 Washington Irving Tour of the Prairies, doing intense research on the locations of the places mentioned in the book. Then she wrote her own, A Tour of the Oklahoma Prairies in the 21st Century, in 2004. She dearly loved the history of her city and state and never had enough. She was always learning, reading, and searching. Her home became an oasis for the family. The back yard was a lush green of dogwoods. We will all miss her ideas and memories. Her childhood was very much a part of World War II, buying savings bonds and sending packages off to soldiers. She was very lucky to have close relations with her mother's family. Her Grandpa Dunn still lived in Jenks. Christmas and Thanksgiving were very special. Up until recently, she kept regular contact with women from her high school class. She loved socializing and entertaining. Julia leaves behind one son, seven grandchildren, two great grandchildren, a niece and a nephew, and a sister. She will be missed. Her memorial will be announced on her Facebook page.