Basic Info 

Born December 1, 1950 to Clyde & Betty Ratcliff

3 siblings: Fred Jones, Diana Hasson, & Vicki Cook

Am an aunt to 4 nieces and 3 nephews and a great-aunt to 4 great-nieces and 8 great-nephews

Married in 1982 to Ashton Ogle

Widowed in 1997

Now dating Rick Yates for 3 years

Education & Career

 Attended Marion City Schools &

Earned an Associate’s degree in Liberal Arts at OSUM

Worked for Quaker Oats in Quality Assurance for 20 years

Returned to OSU to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Education

Worked in the field of education for the last 14 years

It’s All About ME

My first love is to travel.  One of my first memories is a train trip to Chicago when I was four.  Later I would make several more day trips to Chicago with my family but the best one was when Vicki and I got to do a trip by ourselves.  We still recall the good times, people we met, and the laughter.

Other places I have visited are: The Smokey Mts., New Orleans when I was 18. (Ask about the My Oh My Club) several trips to NY City to see plays and museums with my mother (she was a hoot), camping trips to The Rockies, 2 trips to London, one was my honeymoon, a trip to Rome with friends, and as a chaperon for students in Paris.  I have gone white water rafting on the New River in West- by God- Virginia 2 times, flown in a bi-wing airplane, and gone up in a hot air balloon as an anniversary present.  Most resent trips have been cruises in the Caribbean with family and friends.  But, I want to return to Italy and take my sisters to see Tuscany.  The food, sights, and people are truly amazing.

Books and reading are my second love.  I have a ton of books which I can’t seem to get rid of.  Most are books I will probably never read again, but once they're mine they are mine forever.  I still have the 1^st book my grandmother gave me and 2 Nancy Drew mysteries.  In 8^th grade I discovered Ian Fleming’s James Bond and at one time I owned a complete set in paperback, until I loaned a few out, but, I still have the rest.

Most generally I tend to read by author.  I have just finished Jan Karon’s Father Tim series.  Vicki got me started on them and wouldn’t you know I just had to own them.  I’m waiting for the last one to go paperback so I can browse the used bookstores.  This is an enjoyable past time that keeps me off the streets and out of trouble but broke.

When I commute to Columbus, I go to the library and get books on tape/CD and listen to them.  I make a run to the library every once in a while to see what’s new and if any favorite author has something I haven’t seen.  I enjoy mysteries, histories, especially non-fiction relating to ancient Greece, Rome and Medieval England, and biographies. 

Another love is music of all types: classical, old hymns, folk, country, and oldies (especially The Beatles who I got to see in concert on their last tour).  I love to dance and go to concerts - just ask Vicki.

I also love cats.  My first cat was Licorice who I had for 15 years.  She saw me through my adolescence into my 20’s.  Next came Nicholas and Dusty and they were with me through my married years- about 14/13 years.  Now I share space with Viola and Beatrice.  They are sisters who I had to get so they wouldn’t be separated.  They are seeing me through my “single again & lets have fun cause time’s running out” years.

 OK Lets get to my title:
The Amazing Marquesa of Mayhem 

One of my favorite characters and book titles is The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer.  In the book is a Spanish lady who is a marquesa.  She doesn’t let much upset her, enjoys good friends, good food, and gentlemen who dote on her.  I like her style.

Now for the mayhem part, I can’t keep track of things – pens, purses, keys, bills, dates, time, especially time.   I don’t know where they go. I have them one minute and the next their gone.  Zapped into some black hole only to be spit back out after the need is gone or a considerable amount of time and effort has been spent looking for said items.  So most of the time I’m running late, which is bad if I’m the one whose driving and need to pick up others or am responsible for bringing something to the gathering.  This tends to create mayhem and I think it is pretty amazing that my family and friends still put up with me! 

Aliases