Services for Eloys “Jack” Ratliff, 85, of Houston, formerly of Temple will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Temple with Dr. C. Edward Maze officiating.

Burial will follow in Temple Garden of Memories Cemetery.

Mr. Ratliff died Friday, Sept. 5, in Houston.

He was born March 19, 1923, to Elijah Ratliff and Susie Lauderdale in Washington County. He attended Temple public schools and graduated from Dunbar High School in 1940. He married Earnestine Louise Finley in 1951. He joined Mt. Zion Baptist Church, serving in Sunday School, Baptist Training Union (BTU), and driving the church bus.

He owned and operated many businesses in the Temple area, even employing “Mean” Joe Green of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He retired from the Santa Fe Railroad after 15-years of service. He was a member of many community and civic organization and was a lifetime member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He was preceded in death by a son, Larry Ratliff.

Survivors include a son, Frederick Ratliff; two daughters, Mildred “Mickey” Ratliff and Vergil Rochelle Ratliff; two stepsons, Bennie Hughes Jr. and Ronald Lee Hughes, all of Houston; 10 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren.

Public viewing will be noon-7 p.m. today with visitation 6-7 p.m. at Hornsby-Murcherson Funeral Home in Temple.