Dr. Richard Wzrren Ragsdale, OD died at his home on Saturday June 12, 2010, following eleven months of illness due to heart disease. Richard, better known as Dick, was just a week and a half shy of his 88th birthday. He was born on June 24, 1922 in Slaton, Texas to Richard W. Ragsdale and Vera Winetta Green Ragsdale and was their only child. After graduating from Slaton High School, Dick attended Texas Technological College earning a B.S. in premed. When World War II broke out he joined the Navy where he served for three years mostly in the South Pacific. During this time he went from apprentice seaman to 2nd Lieutenant. He married Patricia Lou Baker, his college sweetheart on July 25, 1945 in San Diego, California. After an honorable discharge from the Navy in 1946, Dick attended Northern Illinois College of Optometry where he received his doctorate of optometry. He first opened a practice in his home town of Slaton, Texas, then moved to Sherman Texas where Pat gave birth to their two sons, Richard Leland Ragsdale, and Mark Stephan Ragsdale. The family moved to Denton, Texas in 1956, where Dick opened his optometry practice and Texas State Optical franchise. In Denton, Pat gave birth to their daughter Stacy Lee Ragsdale Holman. While living in Denton, Dick served on the Zoning Board for the City of Denton, the Aviation Committee for the City of Denton, the Commissioner At Large for Boy Scouts of America, the President of Denton Rotary Club, a United Fund worker, a Board of Director for Citizens National Bank and a Board of Director for First National Bank, Sanger Texas. Dick was appointed to the Texas State Board of Health by Governor Bill Clements to represent Optometry. He served in this position for six years. When Dick and his family were converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on September 6, 1965, their lives changed forever. Two years later, Dick was called to be the Bishop or lay pastor for the Denton Ward. Dick devoted much of his life in unpaid service to God through the LDS Church. After serving as the Bishop for six and a half years, he served as a High Councilman for two years, then the 2nd councilor of the Ft Worth Stake for one year, then was called as the Stake President of the Ft. Worth North Stake for five years, then the Stake President of the Lewisville Stake for three and a half years. At the time of the building and opening of the Dallas Texas Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Dick was called as the 1st Counselor in the Temple Presidency, where he served for three years. Dick retired from his practice of optometry at this time. After serving in the Dallas Temple as the 1st Counselor, Dick and Pat chose to serve a mission for the church at the London Temple for twenty eight months. Two years after returning home from England Dick and Pat were called to serve another mission in Liberty Missouri. This was a great faith promoting experience. Dick gave further service to the church as a High Councilman for fifteen years, a temple worker for nineteen years and a sealer at the temple for nineteen years. As the years took its tole on Dick, he had to give up his love of flying small airplanes, but he never gave up his love for his family and family activities. Even when he was very very sick, he never lost his sense of humor or gave up his joy of being surrounded by his family and friends. Dick is survived by his wife of almost 65 years, Patricia Ragsdale. Their son, Rick and his wife Debbie Ragsdale, their son, Mark and his wife Jennifer Ragsdale, and their daughter,Stacy and her husband Brian Holman, plus eleven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday June 19th 2010, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 3000 Old North Road, Denton, northwest of Highway 380 and Loop 288. President Steve Peterson presiding and Bishop Trey Martino conducting. Visitation will be from 9:30 to 10:30 in the Relief Society Room of the Church prior to the funeral. Dr. Richard Ragsdale will then be buried at Roselawn Memorial Park in Denton. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to a charity of your own choosing.