EMILY IRENE COOK RATTERREE

PERRY- Emily Irene Cook Ratterree, 83, passed away peacefully on March 3, 2025. Visitation will be held on Thursday, March 6, 2025, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Watson-Hunt Funeral Home in Perry. Funeral services will be held on Friday, March 7, 2025, at First Baptist Church of Haynesville at 2:00 p.m. with Reverend David Miller officiating. Burial will be in Perry Memorial Gardens immediately following the service. Active pallbearers are Daniel Pitzer, Tee Dean, Ande Thompson, Lonnie Cook, Jr., Kayle D. Cook, and Dustin Cook. Honorary pallbearers are Jason Pitzer, Ryder Dean, Deacon Pitzer, Jacob Cook, Ben Cook, Anthony Cook, Kayle W. Cook, Timothy Yawn, Carter Yawn, Joshua Schultz, Hugh Horton, and Matthew Armhold. The family will accept flowers, or donations may be made to Heart of Georgia Hospice. Emily was born in Macon, Georgia on February 6,1942, to Harold and Margaret Cook. She was the first grandchild on both sides of her family. She attended elementary school in Bibb County until 1955 when her family moved to Houston County. She graduated from Perry High School in 1961 and married her high school sweetheart, Wendell Ratterree, two weeks later. They had three pretty, talented daughters: Wendy, Kelly, and Stacey. She briefly worked for Kellwood in Perry but left to stay home and raise their children. Later, in the 1980s, she was a school crossing guard for several years at Perry Elementary School. She was a member of Clinchfield Presbyterian Church for many years, where she taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, and was a member of the Presbyterian Women. Emily enjoyed living in the country tending her flowers, coloring, dancing in her younger years, and sitting on the porch to read her devotional and Bible. She was a good cook and almost always had a bouquet of fresh cut flowers on her table. Her favorite was a bouquet of yellow roses. Emily was always the big sister who was a mother hen to her two brothers and two sisters, even after they were grown. Her many nieces and nephews enjoyed going to Aunt Emily's house, and she referred to them as "all my babies." She had a pretty smile and was always excited about big events that happened in the family. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren showered her with homemade gifts and presents made especially for her, which she proudly displayed throughout her home. They brought much joy to her and Wendell. Sometimes she would talk about her friends from high school, Jackie, Sandy, and Mary Ann, and reminisce about the good times they had as teenagers. In her life, she experienced much joy and happiness as well as deep grief; but she fought the good fight, she finished the course, she kept the faith. Emily was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Margaret Cook; her loving husband of 60 years, Wendell Dwain Ratterree; daughters, Kelly Lynn Ratterree and Stacey Ratterree Hendrix Young; and brother, Lonnie Harold Cook, Sr. Left to cherish the memories they made with Emily are her daughter, Wendy Pitzer (Bill Weeks); grandsons, Jason Pitzer and Daniel Pitzer (Brooke) ; granddaughter, Leslee Dean (Tommy) ; great-granddaughter, Lana Pitzer; great-grandsons, Deacon Pitzer, Tee Dean, and Ryder Dean, all of Perry; brother, Charles "Buster" Cook (Susan) of Cartersville; two sisters, Shelby Cook Duffy (Andy) of Macon and Mary Frances Thompson (Robert) of Perry; sister-in-law, Monica Cook of Byron; her aunt, Betty C. Smith of Gray, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Condolences for the family may be left in the online guestbook at www.watsonhunt.com. Watson-Hunt Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.

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EMILY IRENE COOK RATTERREE

February 6, 1942 - March 3, 2025