annie mae ratcliff Mckee salter
1915-2000
Life Story
Annie Mae Ratcliff Salter was born on December 12, 1915, in Newton County, Mississippi, to Randall Ratcliff (born about 1875) and Rose Walker Ratcliff (born about 1880). She was raised in a rural farming family, where she learned the values of hard work and perseverance. Like many women of her generation, she worked as a farm laborer on the family’s land, helping to sustain her household through labor and determination.
In her early years, Annie Mae gave birth to a son, Rufus McKee (1932–2003), whose father was a white man named Horace Chapman (1911–1997). Later, she married Jeff McKee (born about 1905), and together they built a home centered on love, faith, and family. From this union, four children were born:
- Billie McKee (1934–?)
- Bonnie R. McKee (1935–?)
- Elsie Lee McKee (1938–2023)
- Robert Earl McKee (1940–1994)
Annie Mae spent much of her early life in Newton County, where she was admired for her strength, nurturing spirit, and devotion to her children. Following the death of her first husband, she later married Leonard Salter (1929–1997) and relocated to Louisville, Kentucky, where she became affectionately known as “Mama Annie.”
In Louisville, Annie Mae worked as a cook for the Greyhound Bus Terminal and also served as an adult caretaker, occupations that reflected her caring nature and dedication to others. She was a faithful member of the House of Praise Church and remained active in her community well into her later years.
Annie Mae passed away on December 5, 2000, at the Hospice and Palliative Care Center of Louisville, Kentucky, at the age of 84. Funeral services were held on December 9, 2000, at G.C. Williams Funeral Home Chapel in Louisville, with burial following in Louisville Cemetery.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Leonard Salter, and her son, Robert Earl McKee. Survivors included two daughters — Bonnie Ruth Cotton of Louisville, Kentucky, and Elsie Lee Arrington of Newton, Mississippi; a son, Rufus McKee of Newton; one sister, Flora Lee Watkins of New Orleans, Louisiana; 24 grandchildren, 53 great-grandchildren, 18 great-great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends who loved her dearly.
Her life’s journey — from the farmlands of Mississippi to the city of Louisville — reflected resilience, faith, and the enduring strength of family ties that spanned across generations and state lines.
Resting Place
Louisville Cemetery, Kentucky
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1920 Federal Census
- 1930 Federal Census
- 1950 Federal Census
- U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current
- The Courier-Journal, Annie Mae Salter, Thu, Dec 07, 2000 ·Page 26
- The Newton Record, Rattley Family Reunion, Wed, Aug 27, 1997 ·Page 2
- The Newton Record, Annie Mae Rattley Salter, Wed, Jan 10, 2001 ·Page 13
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
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