Harold Rags Mack Ragsdale Sr.

Harold Mack “Rags” Ragsdale, Sr., 85, passed away on November 28, 2010. Harold was born December 2, 1924 in Ft. Gibson, OK to Jesse Mack and Martha Ellen (Hall) Ragsdale. Harold attended Ft. Gibson schools from the age of five up until the fifth grade, and then went to Okay schools 9th – 11th grade, graduating his senior year from Ft. Gibson in 1942.

Harold joined the Navy on May 20, 1942, and it was during boot camp in San Diego that he showed his talent for being mechanically inclined and won a position in the aviation mechanic school in Chicago, IL and Detroit, MI. Upon graduation from mechanic school, he was promoted and then assigned to Corpus Christi, TX. In 1943 he left Corpus Christ and traveled to San Francisco and was assigned to Treasure Island. Later in November of 1943, Harold left Treasure Island on a cattle boat converted to a troop carrier. It took the carrier 12 days to arrive in Hawaii. He was then assigned to Combat Aircraft Service, Unit #20 where he and 65 other sailors received Marine combat training. He and these sailors defended Kwajulien Atoll and the small islands of Roi-Namor. Harold finally came home to Ft. Gibson and was discharged from the Naval Base on December 24, 1945. While serving in the Navy Harold received the Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic Pacific Combat Medal and the Presidential Unit Citation Medal.

In 1950, Harold attended and graduated from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol’s Training Academy. Upon graduation, he was assigned to Tulsa County. Harold married Barbara Ann Boyd in July of 1950, and the two celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in July of 2010. Harold’s other assignments were Sequoyah, Hughes, Caddo, Choctaw, Muskogee and Oklahoma Counties. His retirement from law Enforcement began in January 1987. He gave 36 ½ years to the OHP. After retirement, he was elected President of the Retired State Troopers and other State Officers Associate in March of 1991, and was able to serve in this position until 1999. He took pride in helping pass law’s giving Troopers and other retiree’s a permit to carry a concealed weapon, and returned property rights to those Troopers whom had retired prior to 1980. Harold loved being a bass fisherman and looked forward to the annual Trooper’s fishing tournament. He and his boat ‘Ole yeller’ took great pride in beating everyone at the tournament.

Harold is survived by his loving wife Barbara; son, Harold Ragsdale, Jr. and wife Linda; daughter, Shirley Nelle; grandchildren, Joe Nelle, Jr. and Christy Ellen Ragsdale; one great-granddaughter, Adrian Nelle. A funeral service will be held at 9:00 a.m, Friday, December 3, 2010 at the Bill Eisenhour Southeast Chapel. Interment will follow at 1:00 p.m. in the Ft. Gibson National Cemetery.