John Levert Ragsdale, born January 30, 1915 at Birds Point, MO, passed into the life eternal at home in Affton, MO on April 14, 2008. He was 93.

His family moved from Birds Point to Bismarck, MO when he was young. He threw rocks at the little girl, Donna Rosalea Blanton, who lived across the street. When she asked her mother why, her mother replied, “Because he likes you.” John proved that by marrying Rosalea in 1939. They were married for 68 years at the time of her passing in November, 2007.

They made their home in Bismarck, MO until 1943, when John entered the Army and was inducted at Jefferson Barracks, MO. He was stationed at the Barracks for almost a year, so Rosalea moved to St. Louis and worked making torpedoes at Amertorp, a division of American Can Company. John eventually was trained as a medical technician and assigned to the 148th General Hospital. The hospital was deployed to Saipan and Tinnian Islands in the Marianas to prepare to receive US casualties expected from the invasion of Japan. The war ended before the invasion could occur, and John was discharged in 1946.

Having survived the Great Depression and wartime separation, they worked together to raise a family in south St. Louis and then Affton. John began a 27 year career with Anheuser Busch in 1948, working in various departments in the St. Louis brewery until he became an operating engineer in the power plant. He and Rosalea were active members of the Holy Ghost United Church of Christ on Mardell Avenue in south St. Louis. The final three months of his life he was under the gentle care of the wonderful professionals of St. John’s Mercy Hospice.

He was preceded in death by Rosalea, an infant son, Gary, and his two younger sisters, Catherine and Myra Jane. He is survived by a son, Rick (Sandy) of O’Fallon IL, and a daughter, Janis, of Affton MO. He is also survived by three grandchildren, Caryn (Kevin Bourrillion) of Mountain View CA, Bret (Sara) of Poulsbo WA, and Seth of Belleville IL, and two great-granddaughters, Ellie and Joanna of Mountain View CA.