Linda R Ragan

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Strasburg with Rev. Steven Becker and Rev. Gary Fortkamp officiating. Visitation from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Friday in Howe & Yockey Funeral Home, Strasburg. Burial will be in St. Paul’s Cemetery, Strasburg. Memorials may be given to the Cancer Research Institute, One Exchange Plaza, 55 Broadway, Suite 1802, New York, NY 10006; St. Paul’s Cemetery Fund, or donor’s choice.

Linda was born on April 4, 1943 in Effingham, the daughter of Landis Herbert and Alice Marie Thoele Blake. She graduated from Effingham High School in the Class of 1961. After her retirement from World Color Press, Linda kept busy working as a receptionist at Fedders and volunteering at St. Anthony’s Hospital. She was an avid collector of antique and unusual buttons. She became very knowledgeable about the history, composition, uses and rarity of hundreds of antique buttons. She also liked gardening and planted new flowerbeds each year. Among her other interests were playing with her grandchildren, church activities and reading. She was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and the National Button Society. She married Merle Ragan on April 1, 1962.

Surviving are her husband, Merle; son, Steve Ragan and wife Theresa of Decatur; daughter, Debra Ragan and husband Venkates Swaminathan of Oakland, CA; mother, Alice Blake of Effingham; brother, Randy Blake and wife Audrey of Effingham; sister, Sandy Blair and husband Bob of Edgewood; and three grandchildren whom she adored, Gracie Iyer, Jamie Ragan and Drew Ragan.

She was preceded in death by her father; brother, Landis Blake, Jr.; three brothers-in-law; and one sister-in-law.

Linda will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister and friend.