Marilyn J. Ragan 72, of New Hampton, Mo. (formerly of Bethany, Mo.) died Wednesday, June 3, 2015 at North Kansas City Hospital under the care of Hospice. She was born in St. Louis, Mo., November 2, 1942 to Thomas Hurd and Elma (McCollum) Hurd of Bethany, Mo. Elma later married Bill Athay.
She graduated from South Harrison School of Bethany in 1960. After high school she married Laverne Ragan and to this union four children were born. Marilyn began her working career as a bus driver for Trenton Head Start in Trenton, Mo. Then she schooled for her EMT license in 1977, MEMT in 1979 at Trenton Jr. College, and went on to receive her Paramedic license in 1981 from Heartland Health Systems, serving 16 years total service in EMS. Her EMS services include NTA Ambulance, Caldwell County Ambulance, DeKalb-Clinton Ambulance and Atchinson-Holt Ambulance. After working for Harrison County Ambulance, she decided to change careers and became a dispatcher for 911 of Harrison County, Mo., and Gentry County 911.
Preceding her in death are her parents Bill and Elma Athay.
Survivors include her sons, Dean Ragan, New Hampton, Mo.; Jerry Ragan, Unionville, Mo.; daughters, Natalie Ragan, Independence, Mo. and Angela Ragan, Bethany, Mo.; six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, and her special rescue dog, Harley.
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, June 6, 2015 at Roberson Funeral Home, Bethany, Mo. Visitation is Friday, June 5, 2015 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Burial at Morris Chapel Cemetery, Bethany, Mo.
Memorials to the American Diabetes Association in care of Roberson Funeral Home, PO Box 46, Bethany, MO 64424. Online condolences may be left at www.robersonfuneralhome.com