Dorothy Ratzow was born Dorothy Betty Menke in Detroit on December 18, 1927. She lived there with her parents and older sister, Margaret for about four years. Then the Depression came and they moved to a farm in New Boston for a year after which they moved to Dundee for three years – then to Mt. Clemens.
She attended a two-room country school on Sugarbush Road and then Mt. Clemens High School graduating as Salutatorian in 1944. She worked in the Principal’s Office during her senior year. Her major duty was to type the Student and Teacher announcements for the following day. Upon graduating, she was hired as the secretary to the Principal when his secretary married.
In 1947 she met Frederick Ratzow (better known as ” Fritz”) who had spent three years in the Army during World War II. They married in 1948 at the old Trinity Lutheran Church on the corner of Dickinson and Gibbs Streets. They have three children- Patti, Bob and Megan, four grandchildren and one great grand child.
Dorothy left her job to raise her children. When the youngest started school, she was asked if she was interesed in returning to MCHS. She agreed and accepted a position as administrative clerk. She worked at the high school for more than thirty years before retiring in 1983.
