Chase County Kansas Obituaries
|
Gravatt, Rita Marie
Rita Marie Ragsdale Gravatt, 76, of Emporia died, June 28, 2004, at her home.
The daughter of Herman and Anna T. Kuge Bechtel, she was born Dec. 17, 1927, in Olpe. She married Junior Ragsdale. He died in 1991. She married Kenneth Gravatt on May 14, 2001. He survives.
Mrs. Gravatt worked at IBP for 20 years before she retired. She worked at Emporia Tent and Awning
and Crawford's
Manufacturing during
World War II.
Mrs. Gravatt was a former member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
She was a Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader and volunteer worker at the Emporia Senior Center.
She is survived by two sons, Michael Ragsdale of Emporia and Thomas Ragsdale of Wichita; six daughters, Rosie Hoskins, Janie Parks, Rita Jean Pape and Alice Marin, all of Emporia, Gloria Cooper of Madison and Nellie Criqui of Amarillo, Texas; four stepchildren; one sister, Rosa Spinden of Strong City; two brothers, John Bechtel of Kansas City, Kan., and Joe Bechtel of Dallas, Texas; 17 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
A daughter, Anna Belle Ragsdale; and two brothers, George Bechtel and Herman Joseph Bechtel, died earlier.
The funeral was June 30, 2004, in Charter Funerals-Emporia Chapel. The Rev. Dan Gardner of Sacred Heart Catholic Church conducted the service. Burial was in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery.
Memorial contributions to the Emporia Senior Center, Hand in Hand Hospice or the donor's choice may be sent in care of the funeral home, 501 W. Sixth Ave. Emporia, KS 66801.
Chase County Leader News, Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, Jul 08, 2004.