Thelma M. Ragin

COLUMBIA – Thelma Morrow Ragin, 86, of Summerton, wife of William Mitchell “Mitch” Ragin, died March 23, 2007, at Palmetto Health Richland, Columbia.

Born July 7, 1920, in Washington, D.C., she was a daughter of the late Andrew Morrow and Betty Connick Morrow and reared by Richard T. and Captolia Alex. She accepted Christ as her Savior and joined Christ Holiness Church, Norfolk, Va. She received her education in Norfolk and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Union University and a master’s from South Carolina State University, Orangeburg. She later joined Historic Liberty Hill AME Church and served as a class leader, trustee, missionary society and adult choir. She taught at Alcolu and Reeseville Elementary and retired from Scott’s Branch High School in 1982.

Survivors include one son, Brian (Terri) Ragin Sr. of Columbia; one stepdaughter, Tillie (Willie Lee) Toomer of Beaufort; one sister, Captolia Anderson of Melbourne, Fla.; four adopted sisters, Lillian (Lee) Smith of Philadelphia, Pa., Deloris Jones and Yvonne Ragin, both of Elizabeth, N.J., and Gardenia Scott of Jersey City, N.J.; and five grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by one son, Willam “Pedro” Ragin Jr.

Funeral services were held on Friday, March 30, 2007, at Historic Liberty Hill AME Church in Summerton, with the Rev. Melvin Capers, pastor, officiating.

Burial was in the churchyard cemetery.

Samuels Funeral Home LLC of Manning was in charge of arrangements.