Fr. Paul C. Theophilus

Father Paul C. Theophilus reposed peacefully in the eternal embrace of the arms of our God of Love on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at his home in Oak Ridge, NJ. He was surrounded by his wife, the kindest neighbors and friends and the most merciful priest, Fr. John Theodosion.

He was born in Columbus, OH, on April 8, 1953, to Audrey and Frederick Ratliff. The youngest of 5 children, he grew up barely having food to eat. But those tough circumstances only instilled in him phenomenal resilience! His mother anchored him in Christian values and he built a strong foundation of faith within the Church of Christ to which his family belonged. He was a passionate youth minister ever since he was a teen. At 17, he joined the army to gain independence, be able to support himself and create a better life. He was among the brightest in his class! He studied finance and accounting and developed his passion for travel when he was deployed to Turkey. From then on, he was the self-declared family “vagabond,” travelled to numerous countries, and just loved people tremendously and enjoyed the cultural diversity that he encountered. Eventually he went to college in Oklahoma where he pursued his profound interest in religion and spirituality and that is when God arranged for him to meet his future spiritual father, later-to-become Archbishop Pavlos of Glyfada, Greece. And of all the places in the world, Greece was his “second home.” Eventually, his spiritual father converted him to Orthodoxy and he later became a priest and changed his name to Theophilus (friend of God/loving God). He served various multi-cultural communities throughout his years and counseled hundreds of people. He leveraged one of his most admirable talents: an uncanny ability to deeply listen and guide people through the toughest situations in life in a way in which people can clarify their own paths and come to their own decisions. He had a unique combination of truly inspiring depth of introspection, spirituality, prayer, and humility and yet he truly came alive among his people whom he loved immensely!

As an adult, he went back to school and eventually obtained his Masters in Accounting and Certificate in Internal Auditing, a testament to his intellectual perseverance, open mindedness, and commitment to life-long learning. He was a professor at Winston-Salem State University, Metropolitan College of New York and Northampton Community College, teaching a wide range of topics from accounting to ethics and business communication. He was a sharp intellectual, an avid reader, a wonderful storyteller, and great conversationalist!

He is survived by his wife, Suzana Theophilus and his beloved nieces and nephews.

The Divine Liturgy and funeral service will be officiated by blessed Fr. John Theodosion on May 30th, at St. Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Church in Randolph, NJ, after which, this world traveler will take his last trip to Sabina Cemetery, 330 N. College St., Sabina, Ohio, where, after a grave-side service on June 1 at 2 PM, he will join his ancestors.

He was a very strong, beautiful man, a confident and inspiring leader, a great councilor, the best husband a wife could possibly have (having fully supported her advanced education and toxicology career), and a great, positive influence on those around him who treasured his friendship and example of leadership! He was loved so deeply! He will be missed enormously by his friends and family! May his memory be eternal and may he rest in peace in the place where there is no more sorrow, nor suffering, nor pain! God bless his beautiful soul forever and embrace him in his infinite love, peace, and light

Arrangements by: Tuttle Funeral Home, Randolph, NJ (Tuttlefh.com) and Littleton Funeral Home, Sabina, OH.