Lucille I. Ragan

Lucille Irene Ragan, 92, Mason City, died Monday, March 21, 2011, at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit. Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, March 25, 2011, at First Baptist Church, 125 East State St., with Rev. Ron Stein officiating. Interment will be held in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be held 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, (March 24, 2011) at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Memorials can be directed to the Lucille Ragan Memorial Fund or, in her name, to Hospice of North Iowa. Lucille Irene Ragan was born on March 4, 1919, the daughter of Henry and Elise (von der Linde) Krause. She was raised on the family farm near Swaledale, Iowa, and graduated from Swaledale High School in 1937. After graduation, she worked in New York City for two years before returning to Chicago, Illinois, where she trained to become a masseuse. While in school, she met Earl D. Ragan from Little Rock, Arkansas, and they were married on October 5, 1939, at Grace Baptist Church, Sheffield, Iowa. They lived for a short time in St. Joseph, Michigan, before returning to Mason City where they operated a bath parlor until Earl entered the U.S. Army Air Corps at the beginning of World War II. Following the war, they eventually returned to Swaledale and farmed on the family farm for 22 years. After retiring, they lived in Clear Lake, Iowa, and finally settled in Mason City in 1975, where Lucille lived until her death. During that time, she cared for her invalid mother and sister-in-law in her home for seven years.In 1931, Lucille accepted Jesus Christ as her savior during services at the Swaledale United Methodist Church and was formally baptized by immersion at Grace Baptist Church, Sheffield. Over the years, she served her Lord in many capacities: as a church pianist, Bible School teacher, a Sunday School Teacher for more than 50 years, as well as actively participating in various Bible study programs throughout her life. She was a member of the Christian Women's Club Board of Directors for 30 years, retiring in 2006. Other organizations Lucille faithfully served in include Chapter E.A. of P.E.O., the hospital auxiliary of North Iowa Medical Center, member of Womans Club and their Board of Directors, and a member and President of Church Women United. She was active in Circle I of the Mason City First Baptist Church, and was a volunteer for a number of years with Hospice of North Iowa and the Mercy Medical Center. Lucille is survived by her son, James, and his wife, Amanda of Mason City, their daughter Edie and her husband Joe Blanchard of Mason City, and son Charles Wishman and his wife Kate of Des Moines, Iowa. She was also known as Oma to four youngsters - - Amanda Blanchard, Isaac Wishman, Ivy Wishman, and William Blanchard. Lucille Ragan was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her brother, Edgar Krause, and a daughter-in-law, Joan Ragan.

Memorials:
Memorials may be directed to Hospice of North Iowa or in her name.

Cemetery:
Interment will be held in Memorial Park Cemetery.

Visitation:
Visitation will be held 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, (March 24, 2011) at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave.

Service:
Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, March 25, 2011, at First Baptist Church, 125 East State St., with Rev. Ron Stein officiating.