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He was born on November 18, 1926 to George Francis & Edith Faye Ragan in the home of his maternal grandparents in Kansas City, Mo.
George grew up in Kansas City, Kansas on 61st Street & State Avenue, on one of the original eighty-five acres of land purchased by his great-grandparents in 1860 shortly after they immigrated from Ireland. His grandfather eventually inherited a portion of this land where his father was raised in the early 1900's. His mother for a short time lived on the same street when destiny took its course and brought George Francis & Edith together. They married in early 1926 and built a house on the family land where they raised their only child, George Lawrence "Larry". His childhood was filled with joyful memories with the many relatives who also lived on 61st Street.
He completed grades 1st-8th at Lindberg School, which only had two rooms and two teachers for roughly thirty students. He then attended Turner High School where he graduated from in 1944.
Upon his 18th birthday later that year he enlisted with the United States Merchant Marines and was on a train a few weeks later headed for San Pedro, Ca. By early 1945 his active duty began working in the engine room on tankers and troopships that made multiple trips throughout the Pacific during WWII until Victory Day. After the war ended, he continued his service primarily working on banana cruisers hauling produce from Central America to the U.S. through the Gulf of Mexico & Panama Canal. His most memorable tour was an unplanned trip around the world; five continents, three oceans, for six months out to sea. During a visit home in early 1947, a cute, blue-eyed, dark-haired waitress caught his attention making the decision easy to not further a career with the Coast Guard.
He married the love of his life, Eleanore Jeanne Robertson, on September 29th, 1948, in the living room of a family member's home in Kansas City, Kansas. The lyrics from their wedding song, "I Love You Truly" embodied exactly how George felt about his wife.
Work technically began in George's youth helping on the family farm, including delivering milk in glass bottles to customers' doorsteps from his father's dairy business, Fairview Dairy. Prior to and following his Merchant Marine days he worked for an asphalt company running equipment. He then took an interest in mechanics that led to several jobs working in the parts departments at Chevy and Mack Truck and also in the machine shop for Union Pacific. He ended his professional career at International Harvesters in Fairfax as the lead maintenance operator where he retired in 1981 after thirty years of service.
He and his wife were blessed with three children, daughter Judith in 1951, son Robert in 1952, & daughter Lea Ann in 1959. Both being only children were thrilled to have a full house but the responsibility to care for the elderly and ill family members throughout their first 25 years of marriage while raising their own proved to be a challenge. They diligently worked to provide the absolute best upbringing for their children and succeeded greatly in their roles as parents.
When time became their own, they moved to Sedona, Arizona where his wife evolved into a talented artist inspired by the beautiful scenery & culture. These were the best years of their lives that sadly was interrupted seven years later when Eleanore was diagnosed with stage 4 bone cancer. For four treacherous years George cared for his sweetheart until she lost her battle in 1993.
He then moved back to the Kansas City area and stayed busy helping his grown children & their spouses with various Mr. Fix-it projects and was a regular attendee to holidays and special occasions that celebrated each of his nine grandchildren. Every greeting and farewell included a hug and big smile, and usually a short but sweet joke accompanied with his signature laugh.
Life appeared to move on but the agony of losing his wife was still very much present in the years following. That is until he met Helen Harrison, at his regular breakfast spot in Clinton, Missouri. They married in 1998 and her daughter, Gayle, was then also unofficially adopted into the Ragan Family. In 2004 Helen passed away and the extension of her family remained a valuable part of George's life.
He was preceded in death by wives Eleanore (1993) and Helen (2004), and only son Robert (2017). He is survived by daughters Judy Carter & Lea Ann Graybill (Claude), Leila Ragan, and Gayle Johnson; ten grandchildren: Wendy Heddings, Carolyn Jones, Jamie Heddings, David Heddings, Stephanie Winkler, Matthew Ragan, Adam Ragan, Nicole Calia, Ashlee Loper, and Ben Johnson; twenty-five great-grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren.
George was a remarkable man, always patient and kind, a pure-bred gentleman that they just don't make like that anymore. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him, especially the lucky ones who called him "Dad", "Grandpa", or "Great-Papa".
Funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday, July 28, 2023 at the Bradley & Hadley Funeral Home, Clinton. Interment will be in the Blue Springs Cemetery, Blue Springs, Mo. The family suggests memorial contributions to the St. Luke’s Hospice House. These donations may be left in care of the funeral home. Condolences may left online at www.bradleyhadley.com.
