Larry Leroy Ragsdale

Larry Leroy Ragsdale of Cullman, Alabama passed away on Sunday, October 2nd, 2022, at Cullman Regional Medical Center. He died of heart failure, following a long period of illness and pain. Larry was born the second of three sons to Melda Ponder Ragsdale and Carlton Cornell Ragsdale on March 27, 1941 in Cullman, Alabama. He was preceded in death by his parents and his younger brother, Ronnie Ragsdale.

Larry attended East Elementary School and Cullman High School, where he played varsity football for a year before receiving a busted nose from his old pal, Eddie Peinhardt (quite by accident!). His lifelong high school friends have remained a vital part of his life, and the tales of their childhood lives are are fun-filled and always entertaining. During his high school years, Larry worked as a bag boy at the old A&P grocery store, along with many of his other friends.

Larry attended Florence State College for a year-and-a-half, hitchhiking home with his Cullman friends every weekend. Finding that college was not for him, Larry joined the National Guard where he served for four years as Supply Sergeant, under Gen. Jim Berry and Shorty (Harold) Nix.

Offered a job at the Cullman Power Board in 1963, Larry started out manually digging post holes for power poles. The crew dropped him off alone at his job site every morning at 7am and then showed back up at 4pm to bring an end to his work day. Manager Jim Call later asked Larry if he wanted to become the Power Board's Head Meter Reader. He accepted, later to learn that he was the only meter reader. So, every month, Larry read every single meter in the city of Cullman. The job entailed a lot of walking, as well as a whole lot of running from dogs!

He was later offered the job of managing the Power Board Warehouse, a position he held until his retirement in 2004. Larry's old friend, Johnny Fricke was the Power Board’s accountant. Prior to Johnny's annual audit, Larry would spend an entire month counting every single item in the warehouse, and during his management years, the inventories always ended up in the black.

(Although Larry later admitted that he sometimes told Johnny he'd found snakes in the huge pile of power poles, simply so Johnny would accept his pole count as correct.)

Larry spent 41 years in his Power Board career, working countless weather storms with dear friend Jack Seymore and sharing office space with Andrew Hoenig along the way. Even long after his retirement, the warehouse crew could call and ask Larry for the number of parts needed for certain work orders, and he could always rattle it off in no time. A dedicated fellow worker, Larry never accepted any ‘goodies’ offered to him by the various salesmen who called on him for purchase orders. He would always tell them ‘no’ unless they could do something for the whole crew. As a result, shrimp from Baldwin Pole and Piling and other treats sometimes showed up at the warehouse door for all to enjoy. He ended that career with the warehouse fellas looking up to Larry as a "father figure."

During the late 1980’s and early 90’s, Larry was co-owner of Baseball Cards and Comics, a specialty shop located in Town Square Shopping Center. Mr. Roy Drinkard, owner of the rental space, became an even greater friend over the course of those 7 years while the shop was open. Both Larry and his wife Barbara, son Joe Ragsdale and John Richter (shop managers), made numerous friends there over the years; friendships which stand to this day.

Larry's next "career" was for the benefit of his grandson, Carlton, who has created a local website and Facebook page called ‘Cullman Life.' Larry went out each day into Cullman searching for events to help promote, and pictures of life in our town. Cullman Life continued for 6 years, accruing many followers along the way.

Larry said that being able to raise and send his two sons, Mike and Joe Ragsdale, to college (Auburn and Alabama) was his proudest achievement.

Being industrious entrepreneurs, they both later hired Larry as their "Vice President of Marketing"... for Mike’s 30A beach brand, and for Joe’s Rock N Roll Sushi franchise. They paid him with an endless supply of shirts, coffee mugs, hats, and other promotional items. Larry wore one of their company's t-shirts every single day for the rest of his life. Every time he would go out, he’d hand-out business cards and tell everyone about their businesses. Proud Daddy to be sure.

Larry is survived by his wife of 53 years, Barbara, whom he met when she went to work at the main office of the Cullman Power Board. Ruth Gasser, Barbara’s friend, got her the job, but Larry always said he didn’t hold grudges against her. Larry said that all it took to win Barbara's heart was a cup of hot chocolate delivered to her in person on a cold, rainy night when she was working in a ticket booth at the County Fair.

Larry always supported Barbara's school, scout, garden club and church work, including Melda’s beloved First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, where he was baptized, and Sacred Heart of Jesus, Barbara’s home church. Larry helped mentor Boy Scouts with Mickey McDowell of Troop 321, including crawling on his stomach through Tennessee’s Cumberland Caverns, teaching knots and going on countless campouts along the way.

Larry is survived by his wife, Barbara; son Michael and daughter-in-law Angela; son Joseph and daughter-in-law Tanya; seven grandchildren: Jayne (and Sean) Hurley; Kelsey (and Dan) Ragsdale-Glaser; Carlton Ragsdale; Holly Ragsdale; Evie Ragsdale; Jessie and JerrieSue Godbee; his brother George; his nephew David Ragsdale; and his cousins Suzy Ponder Eidson, Joyce Ponder Cahoon and G. W. Ponder.

Numerous lifelong friends not previously mentioned include David McKoy and Bill Hendrix, and so many others who meant the world to Larry and Barbara.

A gravesite service will be held on Tuesday, October 4, at 11:00 A.M. at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Cemetery, with Father Patrick Egan, OSB officiating and Rev. Robin Lambert assisting.

In lieu of memorials, please take time today to reach out to an old friend just to share memories and to tell them that you love them.

“May the angels lead you into paradise. May the martyrs come to welcome you and may they take you into the holy city, Jerusalem. May the choirs of angels welcome you, and with Lazarus, who once was poor, may you have eternal rest.”

Rest in peace, dearest Larry: husband, father, grandfather and friend.

You will be greatly missed!

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To leave condolences for the family please visit mossservicefh.com. Moss Service Funeral Home directing.