Gloria Roberts Ragland's Obituary
Gloria Roberts Ragland, 78, passed away on Friday, September 19, 2014, after a brief illness. Funeral Services will be held on Sunday, September 21, 2014, at 3:00 p.m. at Perry United Methodist Church. A Reception celebrating Gloria's "Final Art Show" will be held in the Fellowship Hall at PUMC immediately following the service. A private entombment will be held in the Good Shepherd Mausoleum in Perry Memorial Gardens. The family respectfully suggests memorial contributions to Uptown Perry Partnership (Perry Arts Center-Restricted Fund), Perry United Methodist Church, or The Westfield School. Flowers will be gratefully accepted, as well. As Sunday will be a Celebration of Her Life, Gloria requested that everyone attending the services wear bright colors like the ones she always used in her paintings.
Gloria was born in Macon on September 30, 1935. She and her husband, Jack, have been members of Perry United Methodist church since 1961 when they moved to Perry. Gloria worked at Houston Lake Country Club for 20 years as their Office Manager and Accountant. She was a member and former President of the Beltista Club, a member of The Southern Watercolor Society, The GA Watercolor Society, Macon Arts Alliance, The Fine Arts Society of Houston County, and Glynn Art Association.
Gloria taught art classes for Georgia State College's Continuing Education at Westfield and The Jailhouse Alley Art Center in Ft. Valley. She assisted with the Arts Exhibition at the Georgia National Fair for 25 years, and was selected to be chairman of the Fine Arts Department for the Georgia National Fair for 18 years. Gloria was appointed by 2 Governors to the Georgia Council for the Arts and also served on the Capitol Arts Standards Commission.
She was the current chairman of the Perry Arts Center Advisory Board. Her artwork has been awarded many blue ribbons and was featured in American Artist Magazine. Her artwork is in homes and offices from coast to coast and abroad in England and Australia. Gloria probably gave away more pieces than she sold having most recently donated a piece for every room and every hall of the Perry Hospital. She was predeceased by her parents, Luther and Thelma Roberts; her brother, Fred Roberts; her sister, Sue Walker; and her son, Jay Ragland. Gloria graduated from A. L. Miller High School in Macon.
Left to cherish the memories of Gloria are her loving husband of 58 years, Jack H. Ragland, Jr.; her daughter and son-in-law, Kim and Jon Wheeler; and her beloved grandchildren, Price Wheeler and Paige Wheeler.
Condolences may be left for the family in the online guestbook at www.watsonhunt.com. Watson-Hunt Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.
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