Edward Rowland Ragland, Sr., 90, of Huntsville passed away January 29, 2023. Mr. Ragland graduated from Castle Heights Military Academy in Lebanon, TN in 1950, graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1954, and was a member of Beta Theta Phi. He was the President of his freshman class and served as Senator of the student body. After graduation, he joined the United States Army as a 2nd Lieutenant. He was Chairman of the Board and President of Ragland Brothers Wholesale Grocery Company. He was a member of the Huntsville-Army Community Relations Committee and a founding board member of Crime Stoppers. He was responsible for originating the Huntsville Amateur Hockey Association. He served on the Board of Directors of First American Federal Savings and Loan, later, Colonial Bank. He was an avid tennis player. He was a member of the Church of Nativity serving as Senior Warden twice and Trustee of the Nativity Trust. He was a member of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama serving as one of the original members of the Alabama Episcopal Foundation.
Mr. Ragland was preceded in death by his grandson, Matthew Tully Ragland. Survivors include his wife of 70 years, Sue Turner Ragland; sons, Edward Rowland Ragland, Jr. (Laura), John Tully Ragland (Amelia), David Butler Ragland (Beth), and Thomas “Tom” Wilson Ragland (Jenny); and grandchildren, Sarah Elizabeth Ragland, Allyson Ragland Prince (Jonathan), Edward Rowland “Rowe” Ragland III, and Mary Margaret Ragland.
A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, February 3 at Maple Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Church of Nativity.
