Robert 'Bob' William Ragsdale

Robert William “Bob” Ragsdale Sr. passed away peacefully at home on Friday, May 21st, among his family. Bob, a lifelong El Dorado (and fourth generation Union County) resident, was born at Warner Brown Hospital on September 11, 1927, to John Gails and Dimple Hill Ragsdale. He had one brother, John Gails Ragsdale,Jr., who was born on the same day three years prior. He attended Yocum Elementary School and graduated from Sewanee Military Academy in 1946. He served in the U.S. Army in Japan, where he participated in clean-up and disposal operations of Japanese military chemical supplies and stores, for which he received the Army of Occupation - Japan and WWII Victory medals. Upon his return, he attended the University of Arkansas where he was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and graduated from College of the Ozarks in Clarksville, AR with a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy in 1951. In 1981, based on his prior work there, the college awarded him a Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

Returning to El Dorado, he began working as a pharmacist for Doyle Pharmacy, which, after nine years, he purchased and renamed Ragsdale Pharmacy. He owned the pharmacy for 17 years before merging it with Giles Pharmacy and, after 4 years, moving on to establish Plaza Pharmacy for the hospital where he had been born. He retired from there in 1993.

He was married to Sara Ann White, daughter of Joseph C. and Elizabeth Lacy White, from 1952 until her death in 1996. They had three children, Sara Elizabeth (Norton), Virginia Gail (Owens), and Robert William “Bill” Ragsdale Jr. In 2000, he married Wanda Brumfield Anthony.

He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of El Dorado for 66 years, in which time he served variously as an Elder, Deacon, Sunday school teacher,and bible school Egyptian Pharaoh. In 2018, he joined the First United Methodist Church of El Dorado. He was an longtime and ardent volunteer for the Salvation Army and their many charitable works.

He is survived by his wife, Wanda, and his children from his first marriage and their offspring: grandchildren Vanessa Norton (Tim) McKuin of Cane Hill,AR, Lindsey Owens Tucker of Little Rock, Alan Owens of North Little Rock, and Ogden, Stokes, and Walker Ragsdale of Redding, CT, as well as two great-grandchildren, Silas Henry McKuin and Hali Faith Tucker.

He is survived, also, by his beloved Anthony step-children from his marriage to Wanda: Aubra and Mary Pat Anthony Jr., Russ and Lisa Anthony, all of El Dorado, and Jane Anthony Lewis of Jacksonville, FL, as well as all of their children: David, Valerie, Haley, Hayes, Hunter, Hollis, Clay, Harry Jr., and Brian.

Memorial and charitable donations may be made to the First United Methodist Church of El Dorado, The Salvation Army, or worthy charity of your choice.

Public visitation will be at Young’s Funeral Home in El Dorado from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Monday, May 24th, 2021. A Celebration of Life service will be held at the First United Methodist Church in El Dorado at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 25. A strict dress code of bow ties and suspenders will be enforced at the door ...unless, of course, you don’t have them.”

Pallbearers are Clay Anthony, David Anthony, Hayes Anthony, Hunter Anthony, Bob Cook, Tim McKuin, Alan R. Owens and Alane W. Owens. Along with Honorary Pallbearers Jim Coleman, Frank McKinney and Sam Pascal.

Condolences may be expressed at www.youngsfuneralhome.com