Charlotte Neal Perdue

SARASOTA – Charlotte Ann Perdue, passed away peacefully at her home in Sarasota, FL on October 1, 2024 at the age of 90 with her sisters Brenda Belcher and Donna Serrano and her devoted caregiver Luz Chevarria at her side. She was born in Bluefield, WV to the late Marvin and Lydia Neal. In her youth she worked at the Bluefield Auditorium where she met many celebrities of the time like the professional basketball player Jerry West and performer Little Richard. After moving to Richmond, VA in 1965, Charlotte worked for C&P Telephone and the State Corporation Commission until her retirement when she decided to move back to her hometown of Bluefield. There she bought a stately home and made it her own decorating it with all her favorite collectibles. She loved to cook and always had enough food for all her friends and family. You never went hungry at Charlotte’s house as she was known to say, “get you some more” (pronounced moe-uh) after you already had two helpings. Another passion of hers was gardening as she always wanted to have colorful flowers blooming in her yard. Anytime you walked by a flower or tree she didn’t have, she would grab a clipping so she could grow it in her own yard. She enjoyed going to various orchards to pick fresh fruits and vegetables and always brought home several flats of strawberries to can them. Who doesn’t remember her famous strawberry preserves? She also had a love of animals and rescued many dogs over the years adding to her own pets like Toby, Babs, Charlie and My Girl. In 2010, Charlotte moved to Sarasota, FL and lived near her son David and several of her own siblings. She enjoyed visiting Anna Maria Island and looking for shells on the beach. For the last several years she was fortunate to live just a few blocks from David and was so happy to see him as he visited every day watching over her to make sure she had everything she needed. She is preceded in death by her husband Charles (Tazz) B. Perdue, her son Richard Keith Ratcliffe and her former husband Richard “Dickie” Ratcliffe. Charlotte is survived by her son Dr. David N. Ratcliffe and Paul Cramer of Sarasota, her son Steven Ratcliffe of Richmond, VA and daughter April Sylvain of Lebanon, ME, five grandchildren Katie, Kristoffer and Kayleigh Ratcliffe, Booker and Dillon Sylvain and eight brothers and sisters. The family will receive visitors on Friday, November 1, 2024 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Mercer Funeral Home, a funeral service will be held on Saturday, November 2 at 11 a.m. at Mercer Funeral Home followed by interment at Roselawn Cemetery in Princeton, WV. Friends and family are welcome to a reception afterwards at First Christian Church in Bluefield.

Charlotte Neal Perdue

April 4, 1934 - October 1, 2024