Lawton David Mueller Ratzlaff

Funeral service for Lawton David Mueller, Jr. Ratzlaff, 59, of Virginia will be 10 am Friday, March 17, 2017 at the Palo Congregational Church with Pastor Jerry Kosanovich officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in the Forest Hill Cemetery in Aurora. Arrangements are by the Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Aurora. Lawton died Monday, March 13, 2017 at Essentia Health-Virginia. He was born on May 14, 1957 to Lawton David, Sr and Patricia (Goreth) Mueller in Biloxi, MS. Following the death of his father at a very young age, Lawton and his mother moved to Hoyt Lakes to live with his grandparents. Lawton’s mother remarried Simon Ratzlaff who adopted Lawton. The family moved to Makinen. Lawton attended Aurora-Hoyt Lakes High School, graduating from the class of 1975. He moved to Wilmar to attend technical college for machinist. He later attended Eveleth Vocational College to become an electrician. Lawton was employed by LTV Steel as a locomotive electrician for twenty one years until the company’s closing. He worked various jobs following the closing of LTV. He was most recently working for Woodline in Eveleth. Lawton enjoyed working on electronics, repairing cars, and collecting movies. Survivors include his two sons: Lawton David Mueller, III of Virginia and Leonard (Hope) Mueller of Duluth; his mother, Patricia Ratzlaff of Markham; three sisters: Valerie Morrow of Markham, Velvalee (Albert) Jurenic of Fayal Township, and Veronica (Jerry) Mattson of Rapid City, SD; a sister-in-law: Mary Ratzlaff of Aurora; as well as numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives. He was preceded in death by his father, Lawton David Mueller, Sr.; a daughter, Loretta Ratzlaff; his stepfather, Simon Ratzlaff; and a brother, Sam Ratzlaff.