Lyle A. Ratzel, 73, died at his home in Coralville June 10, 2021, with his family by his side following a long illness. A gathering in remembrance of Lyle will be held Tuesday June 15, 2021 from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. at The Kirkwood Room, 515 Kirkwood Avenue, Iowa City. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family to be distributed to organizations that were important to him. Lyle Adolph Ratzel, the son of John Herman and Viola Carolina Heinz Ratzel, was born March 19, 1948, at Mercy Hospital, Cedar Rapids. He grew up in Marengo, Iowa, where he was active in Boy Scouts and played on the high school football team, graduating from Iowa Valley High School with the class of 1966. Lyle graduated from the University of Iowa in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in business. While at Iowa he was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity and the Air Force ROTC program. Following college Lyle served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. He was a jet trainer pilot at Webb Air Force Base, Big Spring, Texas, until his discharge in 1975. Lyle and Alice Diann Boland were married at First Presbyterian Church in Williamsburg, Iowa, December 20, 1969, and together owned and operated Ratzel Furniture in Marengo for 10 years. He then began a new career serving in the Central Intelligence Agency which he did for 15 years. He and his family, Alice and daughters Meredith and Emily, had the opportunity to live in several foreign countries and visit a number of others. Lyle’s duty posts included Clark Airbase, Philippines; Brussels, Belgium; Milan, Italy; Seoul, Korea; Bujumbaro, Burundi; RAF Croughton, England; Chisenau, Moldova; Belgrade, Serbia (then Yugoslavia); Tibilsi, Albania; Brandy Station, Virginia; and Moscow, Russia. After his retirement he and Alice made their home in Coralville to be near their daughters and their families. Lyle was a Hawkeye and followed University of Iowa sports attending Iowa women’s basketball games as long as his health permitted. In his younger years he enjoyed a good game of golf. Lyle is survived by his wife, Alice, and daughters, Meredith Ann Ratzel (Ben) Caskey, Frytown, and Emily Nicole Ratzel (Ben)Mozena, Iowa City, as well as his grandchildren, Olivia and Griffin Caskey, and Maya and Eleanor Mozena. He is also survived by a sister, Maxine Newkirk, Hilton Head, South Carolina, and two nephews, Tim Newkirk and Thad Newkirk. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother-in-law, Glenn Newkirk, and nephew, Todd Newkirk. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family to be distributed to organizations that were important to him.