GILBERT C. RAGAN, 65

Funeral services for Gilbert Charles Ragan, 65, of Blair, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, 2000, at First Lutheran Church. Mr. Ragan died Aug. 9, 2000, at his home after fighting cancer.

Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. on Friday, with a prayer service scheduled for 7 p.m.

Gilbert Charles Ragan was born on Dec. 20, 1934, in Davenport, Iowa, to Charles and Viola (Pratcher) Ragan. He grew up in Davenport and graduated from Davenport High School in 1952.

He graduated in 1956 from Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill., with a B.A. in business. He went on to the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, where he received his M.A. in economics in 1958. He was graduate assistant at UNL from 1956 – 1059, teaching economics.

He married Joyce M. Nielson on Aug. 30, 1958. He joined the faculty at Dana College in 1959, where he taught for 41 years as an associate professor of accounting and economics.

Mr. Ragan served as the business department chair for 35 years. He was always interested in his students, and worked hard to give them a meaningful educational experience. Ragan was one of the people instrumental in bringing the weekend college program to Dana.

Mr. Ragan successfully wrote a Title III grant which helped to computerize the campus. He was recognized with the “Golden Apple” award by HunTel for his excellence in teaching and his dedication to the students at Dana. He had a passion for making his classes applicable to daily life, keeping the needs of his students a priority.

Ragan furthered his education with additional studies at UNL in the 1060s. He received his MBA from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1971. He also taught as an adjunct faculty member at UNO and at Iowa Western Community College.

In 1974, he passes his Certified Public Accountant license, and was a consultant with Raymond V. Ryder & Assoc., and later with Dennis L. Carlson, CPA. This experience was also valuable in his college teaching.

Mr. Ragan was involved in numerous professional organizations, including the American Economics Association, the Nebraska Society of CPAs, and the Omaha Chapter of the National Association of Accountants.

Throughout the years, Mr. Ragan enjoyed roses. He was one of the founding members of the Blair Rose Society, and served as a director for 10 years. He helped to organize the Blair Rose Garden. He was a Consulting Rosarian with the American Rose Society for 20 years. He received numerous awards and trophies for his rose arrangements.

Mr. Ragan was a member of First Lutheran Church in Blair. He was also involved in the Boy Scout program as an assistant scoutmaster with Troop 232 for four years, and was the troop committee chairman for eight years.

Mr. Ragan and his wife, Joyce, were members of the Scottish Society for several years.

One of Mr. Ragan’s favorite pastimes was fishing at DeSoto Bend National Wildlife Refuge. He also loved cats. Over the years, he was known to have fed many strays at Dana, besides caring for his cats at home. He is survived by his children, the Rev. John and Tammy Ragan, Wheaton, Minn.; Kathleen Ragan, Blair; David Ragan, Omaha; and Liam Ragan, La Vista; four grandchildren; his mother,, Viola Ragan, Davenport, Iowa; his sister, Marilyn and Hank Pohlman of Davenport; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father and his wife. Memorials are suggested to the Ragan Scholarship Fund at Dana College, and the Television Ministry Fund at First Lutheran Church, Blair.

Campbell-Aman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

(Please notice the difference in spelling of Joyce Ragan’s parents’ last name: in Joyce’s obituary, the name is spelled Neilson, while in Gilbert’s obituary, the name is spelled Nielson.)