Margaret’s Obituary Margaret Odell Finch Ragan passed away early Sunday morning, March 17, 2019 at Hinkle Hospice House in Davidson County with her two devoted children at her side. She struggled with progressive Dementia during her last years even though she survived a heart attack and beat cancer. A resident of Boyce Sink Court and Piedmont Crossing Continuing Care Community in Thomasville, NC for the last six years, Margaret had been a life-long Lexington resident most recently on Bremen Drive.
A funeral service to celebrate her life will be held Saturday, March 23, 2019 at 11:00 am at First United Methodist Church in Lexington, NC. Rev. Doug Rowe will officiate.
Graveside services follow at Lexington City Cemetery. The family will receive friends at Davidson Funeral Home on Friday evening from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, Second United Church of Christ in Lexington, or the Humane Society of Davidson County.
Margaret was born December 17, 1929 in Raleigh, NC, the only child of Glenn Odell and Lola Mae Reaves Finch. She was preceded in death by her parents and by James Wesley Ragan, her husband of 64 years. She leaves to forever cherish her memory her daughter Myra Elizabeth (Beth) Ragan (Timothy Wingard) of Arlington, VA; and son David “Scott” Ragan of Newnan, GA; grandchildren David Wesley Wingard (Dania Schmidt), Anastasia Wingard, and Henry Theodore Ragan Wingard and great-granddaughter Nicole Grace Wingard-Schmidt — all of Arlington, VA.
Also surviving is one brother-in-law, Kenneth Wayne Ragan of Prattville, AL and many nieces and nephews through marriage throughout the southeast. Margaret is the last Davidson County descendent of Richardson Finch of Denton and was the great-granddaughter of Eliza Jane Gilchrist Finch and Samuel Jones Finch whose homeplace is now Finch Park in Lexington. Growing up in Lexington, Margaret attended Cecil Elementary School and graduated Salutatorian from Lexington Senior High School in 1947 — the first graduating class that included 12th grade.
In her youth, she was a member of Second United Church of Christ and she had a life-long respect and love for the Church and its congregation. Attending Catawba College, Margaret took all required Accounting Classes but was steered to graduate with a B.A. in Commercial Education in 1951. In 1959, she attained her Master’s Degree in Education from UNC-Greensboro.
On June 5, 1954, Margaret married Jim in New York City on the Bride and Groom Show. Margaret began teaching elementary school in Burnsville, NC in 1954 for one year and then taught at Pilot School. In 1962, she filled in at a teaching position at Lexington Senior High School and shortly thereafter became the Distributive Education (D.E.) teacher.
She expanded the D.E. program by initiating the D.E. Club and was Advisor to students who won competitions at Local and State Levels. Many of the students Margaret placed in jobs went on to hold positions of leadership or ownership in the Lexington business community. Although she held high expectations of her students, she was affectionately known as “Mama Ragan”.
Margaret retired in 1986. An active participant in local organizations, Margaret served several years as Treasurer of the Humane Society of Davidson County; was a Charter member of the Davidson County Genealogical Society; and a member of the NC Retired Teachers Association. She was also a member and officer of Beta Sigma Phi sorority entering the Diamond Circle with 60 years of membership.
In her retirement years, Margaret enjoyed several trips within the United States and overseas – including two trips to the Holy Lands where she was Baptized in the River Jordan. She enjoyed yard work and preserving fruits and vegetables Jim grew in the garden. Despite the distance between their homes, she maintained a close and loving relationship with her children and grandchildren.
Margaret will be remembered for her strong love for and devotion to her parents and family, her love for humanity and all creatures great and small, and her intelligence and high standards.
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