Fonds F2774 - Dorothy Ratzlaff fonds

Dorothea "Dorothy" Klassen, 1931- , was born in Hanna, Alberta, the daughter of Mennonite immigrants from Russia, David Gerhard Klassen, 1896-1981, and Maria Peters Klassen, 1901-1994. The family moved to Swalwell (near Linden) shortly after her birth. She lived with her Aunt, Susan B. Peters, for three months in 1939. She attended school at Antler School, Swalwell High School, and the Alberta Mennonite High School in Coaldale. She trained as a teacher at the University of Alberta, Calgary campus, in 1951, and over the years taught at several rural schools including Gumbo and Linden. In 1952 she married Raymond Ratzlaff and they had three children, Jennifer Marie, 1954- , Raymond Stephen, 1956- , and Bradley David, 1959- . In 1967 Ray Ratzlaff was elected the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Three Hills, and from 1969-1971 served as the Minister of Industry and Tourism in the Social Credit government. In 1974 the Ratzlaffs moved to Germany to teach at the Black Forest Academy for four years, then to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario from 1978 to 1986, where Ray was principal of Eden Christian College, a private Mennonite high school. The Ratzlaff returned to Linden in 1986, and in 2000 moved into Three Hills.