Toni Ethelyn McBrayer Rattan

Toni Ethelyn McBrayer Rattan, age 90, died Sunday, October 22, 2017.

A celebration of life was held Friday, October 27, at 2:00 p.m. in the First Baptist Church Chapel in Clarendon with Rev. Dick Gravely officiating.

Rattan was born on Sunday, July 3, 1927, in Hall County to Will and Neta McBrayer of Estelline. She inherited a life of contrast having survived the era of the Great Depression as a child, World War II as a soldier’s bride and the turbulence of the mid last century. She was totally convicted to her Christian beliefs, not morals, but her faith in Jesus Christ as her ever steadfast life companion and eternal Savior. Family was her most common earthly interest as she loved and respected her ancestry as well as present family members. She believed in the sanctity of life and felt it should be preserved and allowed to develop into God’s purpose.

Her love for Christ was seen in her conversion as a child at 9 years old, in her life-long church membership, as a Sunday school teacher, choir member, and bible student and scholar. The word resided in her heart and translated into her actions.

She was wife to Dennis M. Rattan from World War II and beyond and faithful mother to her two only sons, Ron and Kent. She believed in education and saw to it that her sons followed the path of enlightenment and growth by obtaining college degrees and professional status in the field of architecture.

From the humble origin in the sands of West Texas to the heights that came to a plateau in political activism and the professions exemplified her life of contrasts. Her staunch belief in traditional American values led her to support those causes through time and monetary investment.

She was intelligent and extremely independent in her method of living but was also strongly and deeply dependent upon her family. She needed them and they needed her. And although her earthly family was important her sights were always set on her eternal destination, dwelling in the house of the Lord, forever.

Her life became full of trials and more than her share misery toward the end with failing health and other issues. But her life was not without fun and joy. She became interested in square dancing with her husband Dennis, as they waltzed across Texas during the 60s and 70s.

Together they owned several successful businesses and were quite content with their social standing within the Clarendon community during those middle years. They experienced the world in trips such as those to Mexico City and Acapulco together and with friends. They were happy.

She was preceded in death by her mother and father and all of her brothers and sisters.

She is survived by two sons and their wives Ron and Pam Rattan of Austin and Kent Rattan and Nikki Miller of Buena Vista, Va.; and her grandchildren Brandon Rattan of San Francisco, Calif., and Jessica and Donny Fetzer and great-grandson Dillon Craig of Houston, Claire Rattan of Staunton, Va., and Elizabeth Rattan of Philadelphia, Penn.