Ginger (Harms) Ratzlaff

Ancestors

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Biography

Virginia was born in Garden City, Finney, Kansas, United States, on November 1, 1947. Her parents lived on a farm near Ulysses, Grant, Kansas, United States. Her father raised wheat and milo (also called maize) as his main crops.

Virginia's family was part of the Spring Valley Mennonite Brethren community that had been invited to come from Balko, Beaver, Oklahoma, United States to farm land owned by "Doc" Hickok.was organized around the Spring Valley Mennonite Brethren Church. Most of the families who were members had come from Balko, Beaver, Oklahoma, United States, and were part of the Mennonite Brethren community there. Her grandfather Isaac Harms was the pastor there for many years. When Virginia was in the seventh grade she became the church pianist and continued until she left home for college. During her high school years she taught Sunday School and Bible School. She accompanied the choir and her father's Men's Quartet.

Virginia's education began in a one-room country school. It was named Spring Valley Grade School. There was one teacher for Kindergarten through 8th grade. The largest enrollment while Virginia attended was a total of fifteen students spread out over all nine grades. There were three students in all in Virginia's grade.

Virginia attended Grant County Rural High School. That is when she insisted upon being called "Ginger" and has been called by that name by friends and family ever since. She participated in plays, choirs and other musical groups, and debate.

After graduating from high school, Ginger went to Tabor College, a Mennonite Brethren college located in Hillsboro, Marion, Kansas, United States. This was a small liberal arts college. There she once again participated in plays, musical groups, and debate. It was there that she met her husband, Kenneth Lloyd Ratzlaff. They became engaged just before he graduated from college. Kenneth went to graduate school at the University of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois, United States. They were married January 27, 1968 during Kenneth's semester break.

After living in Urbana for six months, Virginia began as a Junior at U. of I. as the University is widely known. She studied English Literature, Psychology, and Sociology.

Ginger and Ken left the states to teach school in the country of Botswana. They were sent by the Mennonite Central Committee (M.C.C.) to serve in the Teachers Abroad Program. They arrived in Botswana in time to observe the 1st elections 4 years after the country's independence. Ginger taught English and was the home room teacher to one of the Form 1 classes at Moeding College, Ootse, Botswana. While there, she finished her degree from U. of I. by correspondence. Her first child, Michael Mpho Ratzlaff, was born in the Bamalete Lutheran Hospital in Ramotswa, Botswana. The family travelled home in December 1973.

Sources

• First-hand information. Entered by Virginia Louise Harms at registration.
• Grandma's Window Grandma ID #37807 accessed 14 Aug 1018

Links

Grandma's Window [[1]]