Danetta Lea Odle Ratcliffe

Danetta (Danny) Lea Odle Ratcliffe born on October 13, 1932 in Ponca City, Okla. passed away on August 2, 2021. She was the daughter of Harold and Gladys Odle. She married Irvin Hale Ratcliffe on February 21, 1952 in Salt Lake City, UT. She is the amazing mother of 4 children Vickie (Daniel) Kershaw, Stephen, Sandra Richins, Jennifer (Roger) Thompson with 11 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

Danny graduated from Granite High School in 1951, graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Science in Special Education in 1980, and with a Masters of Education in 1985. She taught Special Education for 31 years in the Salt Lake City School District. She was loved and respected by her students and their parents and was frequently seen running alongside her students while she coached them through their Special Olympic events.

Danny loved being around people and participated in a variety of activities with her friends including an investment club and season tickets to both Centrepoint Theatre and the U. of U. Pioneer Memorial Theatre. If you have driven by her house and seen the big red “U” in lights you know Danny was passionate about sports at the University of Utah. She was a basketball season ticket holder for 28 years and had football season tickets for 20 years enjoying each game surrounded by friends and family.

As her children grew and grandchildren and great grandchildren became part of her extended family she began organizing retreats to Bear Lake that were an annual highlight for everyone involved. She was also an avid parade goer and spent many years with her feet on the green line enjoying front row seats with friends and family at the 24th of July Utah Pioneer Day Parade and the New Year’s Day Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, CA. She thoroughly enjoyed spending the night before the parade saving prime seats with a few hundred of her new friends.

Danny spent years serving others. She served on the board of TURN Community Services (formerly Project TURN) for 15 years and as Board Chair for 2 years. She was a scout leader for 12 years, served as a security volunteer for the 2002 Olympics and even used a metal detecting wand on Mitt Romney before he could get past her checkpoint. One of her favorite activities later in life was volunteering at the Bountiful Senior Center to help all those “old people” even though she was already in her eighties.

Danny loved to travel and vacationed at spots around the world including China, Scotland, and Alaska. When she wasn’t spending time with family, watching sports, serving, or traveling she enjoyed handiwork and was skilled at quilting, knitting, macrame, and sewing, even making the wedding dresses for all three of her daughters.

She lived with her husband and family in Bountiful for 66 years and passed away peacefully at her home.

The viewing and subsequent funeral services will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building located at 1540 North 400 East, Bountiful, UT on August 9, 2021. Viewing times will be from 9:45 to 10:45 am. Funeral Services will begin at 11:00 am. Online guestbook at www.russonmortuary.com.