Ann Hancock Ragsdale

A resident of Williamsburg, VA and Nags Head, NC, Ann was born in Beaverdam, VA on July 29, 1928 to Rubie Cromwell Parrish Hancock and Rufus Embury Hancock.

Ann’s life had many chapters. After growing up on the family farm and graduating from Beaverdam High School, she moved to Richmond, VA where she went to Secretarial School, worked as an Executive Assistant to the president of an ad agency, and spent weekends traveling with friends to the museums and theaters of NYC and the beaches of Cuba. She married Ambler Coleman Ragsdale in 1956 and began to build and raise a family. After about 20 years she returned to work outside the home as a bookkeeper for the family business, Cole & Scott Gentleman’s Clothing, in Williamsburg and Newport News and for various other local businesses. Coleman and Ann were among the first residents of New Town and regular patrons of Center Street Grill.

Ann first went to the Outer Banks with her uncle in 1947 and returned pretty much every summer until 2020 when she became unable to travel. She introduced Coleman to Nags Head on their honeymoon, crossing her fingers that he would love it as she did. He did, and they passed that love on to their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and, thankfully, two generations of spouses as well. Upon retirement, Ann and Coleman wintered in Nags Head, spending time with local friends or simply watching the dolphins play.

Ann is survived by her daughters, Katherine Hancock Ragsdale (Margaret Ewing Lloyd) and Harriett Ann Ragsdale Mills (Carl Mills); son, Edwin Coleman Ragsdale (Amy Webb Ragsdale); grandchildren, Cameron Ambler Ragsdale, Lauren Parrish Mills Robards (Taylor Robards), Nicholas Edwin Ragsdale (Victoria Long Ragsdale); great-granddaughters, Sara Emery Robards and Charlotte Ann Robards; as well as two sisters-in-law, Juanita and Alice Ragsdale, and numerous nieces and nephews on both the Hancock and the Ragsdale sides of the family.

A funeral service will be held at St. Martin's Episcopal Church, 1333 Jamestown Rd., Williamsburg, VA, 23185 on April 5 at 11:00 a.m.

Memorial contributions can be sent to support the Nags Head Fire Department’s beach-wheelchair loaner program (Town of Nags Head, PO Box 99, Nags Head, NC 27959 – earmarked for beach wheelchair program) or to the Network for Endangered Sea Turtles (N.E.S.T., PO Box 1073, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949)

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.NelsenWilliamsburg.com.