Major Ragland

Major Ragland was born on the 25th of May 1918 in Rankin County, MS. He was the fourth of seven children born to the union of the late Eddie and Cleo Ragland. He was reared in a God-fearing home and accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior at an early age.

Major was drafted into the U.S. Army in the early 1940’s as a Rifleman. He never spoke much about his time in the Army except to say that he served in World War II. He received an Honorable Discharge for his service.

Major later relocated to Chicago, Illinois where he met and married his partner for life, Penny M. Sharp. Major and Penny were blessed with five children. Major was also blessed with ten children from a previous marriage.

After Major retired from Yellow Cab Company as an Auto Mechanic in the 1980’s he took his family and relocated to Houston, TX.

Major enjoyed cooking, hunting, fishing, gardening, canning vegetables, making wine and watching westerns. Most importantly, he enjoyed and loved his family. His favorite pastime was just sitting around talking and laughing with his family. He enjoyed his time with his family until he left to be with the Lord on 9th of November 2010.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Eddie & Cleo Ragland; all of his siblings, Rosa Lee Jenkins, Jeff Ragland, Winston Ragland, Epsie Mae Dixon- Dorsey, Lenzy Ragland* and Infant Ragland*; four children, Bobbie Nell Ragland, J.C. Ragland, Eddie B. Ragland and Emma Jean Tucker; three grandchildren, Chanel Ragland, Brenda J. Tucker and Christopher Moore;

He leaves to cherish his memories, his loving wife Penny M. Ragland; five sons, Lawrence Ragland, John Ragland, Willie B. Ragland, Donald E. Ragland and Ricky Ragland; six daughters, Betty J. McGrone, Florence Ragland-Bowen, Shirley A. Ragland, Joy M. Ragland, Tammy J. Ragland-Myers and Misty A. Ragland-Henson; thirty-two grandchildren, Sebastian Ragland, Bernard Ragland, Lenard Ragland, Annette Ragland, Jason Ragland, Robert Moore, Jr., Wanda Baskin-Young, Monica Baskin-Jaderberg, John O. Baskin, Jr., Donald Ragland, Estralita Jones, Sidney Ragland, Darnisha Moody, Latasha Moody-Battee, Katrina Brooks, Levon Ragland, Marcus M. Ragland, Michael M. Ragland, Tamika M. McDonald, Ricardo L. Myers II, Sydney D. Myers, Kerissa M. Ragland, Patrice N. Ragland, Joseph A. Ragland, Durrell E. Ragland, Ebony M. Ragland, Doniqua M. Ragland, Donald E. Ragland Jr., Major E. Ragland, Brittany L. Ragland, Amaya M. Ragland and Briana M. Ragland; and a host of great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.