James Ronald "Ron" Ragland

James Ronald (Ron) Ragland
BETHEL - James Ronald (Ron) Ragland of Bethel, 69, passed away Thursday, January 23, 2025, at ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville, following a courageous battle with lung cancer.
The family will receive visitors on Saturday, January 25, from 9:45 until 10:45 am at St. Peter Catholic Church in Greenville, followed by a Mass of the Resurrection at 11 am. Burial will be private.
Ron was born February 7, 1955, the youngest of eight children of Russell Alexander and Beulah Fitzgerald Ragland of Gladstone, Virginia, a rural mountain town. He attended a two-room school until the fifth grade and experienced life similar to "The Waltons," the hit television show. He grew up with the Hamner family that inspired the series.
At Nelson County High School, Ron excelled in football, track and cross country, earning all-state honors. He was featured in numerous press clippings highlighting his offensive and defensive skills on the gridiron. Recruited heavily by Division I colleges, he signed a full scholarship to play football for Coach Pat Dye at East Carolina University. After two successful seasons, a sports-related injury interrupted his career as an offensive lineman.
At ECU, Ron met and fell in love with Jacqueline (Jacqui) Nelson of Bethel. Their marriage of 49 years remains an inspiration to all who know them. They gave birth to two daughters, Stephanie Aaron Ragland and Jennifer Louise Ragland, and reared them in a loving, Catholic home.
Ron's parents instilled in him the Southern values and work ethic that would carry him through life. He retired from NACCO Materials Handling (now Hyster-Yale) with nearly 40 years of service, most recently in human resources. Beyond his work, Ron was a devoted volunteer fireman with Bethel Fire and Rescue, where he was twice named fireman of the year.
In addition to his parents, Ron was preceded in death by his and Jacqui's beloved daughter, Jennifer Ragland Evans (Jeff); siblings, Russell A. (Sonny) Ragland (Phyllis), Kenneth A. Ragland, Raymond Ragland (Peggy), Shirley R. Wallace (Tommy), Frances R. Mays (Elwood); niece, Tammy Ragland Black.
Surviving Ron are his wife, Jacqui; daughter, Stephanie Ragland Stalls (Mitchell); siblings, Patricia Ragland and William Ragland (Joan); grandchildren, Matthew Stalls, Meagan Stalls, Jack-Henry Evans, Jeffrey-Neil Evans and Jean-Luc Evans and many other cherished family members.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Ron's memory to the Bethel Fire and Rescue Association, POB 308, Bethel, NC 27812.