GARDEN CITY - Normalea Neely Ragel, 96, died on Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at Garden Valley Retirement Village in Garden City. She was born on June 20, 1927 at Edna, Kansas the daughter of John Edgar & Jessie Louise (Johnston) Neely. She married Robert Dale (Bill) Ragel on February 17, 1945 at Edna. He died on November 6, 2005.
Normalea was the youngest of five children. She attended school at Rose Hill School in Labette, County completing the 9th grade. Her early jobs included caring for children, loading shelves in a grocery store, selling silverware and Avon door to door, waitressing and working in an ammunition plant. She and her husband moved to Garden City in the fall of 1956 to manage the Goodwill Nursing Home. Norma always said, “This is the best decision we ever made”. They went on to own and operate the Garden City Ambulance Service and Ragel’s Monument Service. In 1967 Norma attended Cosmetology School and opened Norma’s Beauty Shop, operating it until 1992. After retiring she worked as a receptionist at Garnand Funeral Home until 2018. She and Bill loved to travel, visiting all 50 states along with Canada, Mexico, Panama and the Bahamas. She loved to visit with people and it did not matter if they were family, old friends or new acquaintances. In her later years she enjoyed doing needlepoint and felt Christmas stockings, constructing over 150 stockings for gifts to family and friends.
She is survived by her 3 Daughters- Brenda & Greg Mann of Manhattan and their Children- Kale (Charlie) Mann, Keira (Zach) Solons, Kai (Erin) Mann & Klaire (William) Brumbaugh, Jureta Ragel & Willie Long of Topeka and Children- Benson (Tammy) Cessna, Braden (Rachel) Cessna, Brooke Cessna & Brandt (Andrea Christian) Cessna, Carma & Steve Harman of Garden City and Children- Sheilah (Roland) Martinez, Tony (Chrisy) Crough, & Quincy Tyler Crough, 25 Great-Grandchildren and many special nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her Parents, Husband, Siblings and their spouses- Leta & Joe Conley, Lila & Joe Voltz, Lois & Art Graves, Burle & Mary Neely and 2 Great-Granddaughters.
Funeral Service will be at 2:00 PM Sunday at Garnand Funeral Home with Rev Steve Ensz officiating. Friends may call from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM Saturday at Garnand Funeral Home.
Committal Service will be at 12:00 PM Monday at Bartlett Christian Church in Bartlett, Kansas. Friends may call from 11:00 AM to Noon Monday with family present at Bartlett Christian Church. Burial will be in Lake Creek Cemetery at Bartlett. Memorials are suggested to Friends of Lee Richardson Zoo or Garden City Community College Nursing Scholarship in care of Garnand Funeral Home. Condolences may be posted at www.garnandfuneralhomes.com.