Carol Ann-Virginia (Gonzalez) Ratchford cashed in her chips on August 9, 2024, peacefully surrounded by loved ones at the tender age of 67 in Clinton Corners. We all hit the jackpot when Carol was born on August 2, 1957, in Manhattan, N.Y. to the late Pasquale Gonzalez and Antonia (Cortez). Growing up first in the Bronx and then relocating when she was a teenager to LaGrange, Carol spent her formative years as many kids in the 70s did – a vision in bell bottoms, with straight as glass hair parted down the middle, often tearing it up at the disco. As the eldest child, she took on the role of second mother to her younger brothers Eric and Steven after Antonia's passing. When Pasquale remarried, Carol embraced his wife Barbara as her stepmother, and Barbara's children, Karen & Kevin, as her step siblings.

After graduating from Arlington High School in 1976, Carol would go on to marry Carl Diesing in 1978. While that relationship did not last, the visions of her in a white wedding hat will always remain. Together, they had three children – Jessica, Carl, and Stephanie. In 1994, she married Joseph Ratchford and together they welcomed a baby girl Susan, named after a lifelong friend, to round out their blended family of 7.

Her early working life found her at Service Bureau Center as a keypunch operator on the night shift, then at DeLaval where she worked in the data center while raising her young family. She would go on to manage the office for Hudson Valley Data Services, with a primary role of informing clients when Joe was "out to lunch", aka napping under the conference table. Later, she took her passion for party planning into a partnership with Floral Fantasies by Sara, producing beautiful events throughout the Hudson Valley.

With an eye for detail -- whether it was a gift tag, a Christmas tree, or that baked-on food the kids missed scrubbing when doing the dishes -- not much went unnoticed under her watch. Some may have called her a clean freak, but she took great pride in decorating her homes over the years while making it look like the Brady Bunch did not live there.

She was always the life of the party... she was the hostess with the mostest! The family house in Red Hook was where everyone gathered for holidays, pool parties and family dinners, enjoying great company and even better food. To know her was to know of her generous and fun-loving spirit. She would spend hours upon hours baking Christmas cookies once she finally had the time after the children were grown.

She was creative and crafty, and of course a bit smart-assy. Until the very end she would enjoy watching Jeopardy and answering questions that would make you wonder: "How the heck did she know that?" She had a penchant for word games from Scrabble to Boggle to crosswords and later digitized games like Wordle, Word Chums and others. She loved gathering with family and friends for some low stakes gambling, especially poker, and in her last few weeks found herself raking in the pots.

Carol will be remembered. Remembered for her strength, loving fiercely, being stubborn but usually right, energetic and funny. Remembered as a confidant, a button pusher, and a beauty who would hide from the camera.

If she wasn't teasing you, she probably didn't like you. If she wasn't flipping you off at some point, she probably didn't love you. If she wasn't drinking Diet Coke, she wasn't awake.

Carol is survived by her loving children: daughter Jessica Traver & husband Gary, son Carl Diesing & wife Sarah, daughter Stephanie Diesing & partner Brian Contreras, and their father Carl Diesing; as well as daughter Susan Ratchford & partner Connor Hennessy, and her father Joseph Ratchford & his immediate family; her 5 beautiful grandchildren Giselle, Charles, Evelyn, Noah & Camila; her brother Eric Gonzalez, brother Steven Gonzalez & partner Casey Haddox; her stepmother Barbara Gonzalez, and her stepbrother Kevin Corradini and wife Jamie. She is predeceased by her parents Pasquale & Antonia Gonzalez and stepsister Karen Corradini.

In accordance with Carol's wishes, there will be no visitation or memorial service. Private scattering of her cremated remains will be at the convenience of the family. A date for a celebration of life event will be announced later.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in memory of Carol to Hudson Valley Hospice who were an amazing support for the family. Donations can be made online at https://www.hvhospice.org/donate-now/ or if you prefer to mail a donation, please send it to: Hudson Valley Hospice Foundation, 80 Washington Street, Suite 204, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601.

Arrangements are by Sweet's Funeral Home, Hyde Park. To send an online condolence, please visit Carol's obituary page at www.sweetsfuneralhome.com.