Ragna Elizabeth Blake

A Celebration of Life for Ragna Elizabeth Pearce Blake, 98, of Pauls Valley will beheld at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, February 5 in the First United Methodist Church with Rev. Bob Kanary officiating. Ragna died Saturday, January 31 in her home after a nine year valiant fight with pulmonary fibrosis. She will be buried beside her husband, Roger T. Blake, in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Pauls Valley, under the direction of Wooster Funeral Home. Ragna E. was born June 11, 1910 in Foster, Oklahoma, the daughter of Ragna Nymoen and Franklin Jackson Pearce. She was named after her mother, Ragna Nymoen, and after her father’s oldest sister, Elizabeth Frances Pearce. As a small child she was baptized by an itinerate preacher in the Foster schoolhouse, used as a church. As an only child, she was taught reading, writing, and arithmetic by her father. At five years old Ragna started first grade at Foster, and because of her accelerated learning, was immediately promoted to the third grade. She attended school at Foster until 1921, when her family moved to Pauls Valley and she entered the 8th grade. Ragna E.’s first schooling in Pauls Valley was in Jr. High School which, at that time, was the present day Jackson Grade School. She and Jane (Bowman) Blanton often caught a ride to school on the tailgate of Mac Q. Williamson’s pick-up. Ragna grew up in the home at 810 N. Ash. When she was eleven years old, on Easter Sunday Morning, Ragna joined the Pauls Valley First United Methodist Church and has been a faithful lifetime member. Many a time, she has giggled and told of her eleven friends that joined the church with her that same day. She said, “we were all going to be missionaries. All of us are still active in some church, but none of us were ever missionaries.” She attended schools in Pauls Valley, graduating from Pauls Valley High School in May 1926, just before her 16th birthday. She received the honor of Valedictorian of her high school class. After attending Randolph-Macon Women’s College in Lynchburg, VA for one year, Ragna then entered Oklahoma University September 1927 and pledged Pi Beta Phi Sorority. Because of her father’s failing health, she dropped out of school for one semester, but returned to school and graduated from O.U. in 1931, Phi Beta Kappa, with a BS in Business Administration. Right after graduation, she worked for Jack Kinnebrew in the automobile business in Oklahoma City. At that time she lived with the Green family. In the spring of 1935, Ragna became ill with a severe case of flu and came home to Pauls Valley to recuperate. She was offered a job in the Court Clerk’s office and worked there until July 1936. March 8, 1936, Ragna and Roger T. Blake married in the Pauls Valley First United Methodist Church. They lived their entire life in Pauls Valley. Ragna was an active member of Chapter AR PEO for 71 years and in 1995 was given permission to select the charter list to organize Chapter GJ of Ada, which was the 185th Oklahoma PEO Chapter. In April 2002, Chapter AR PEO honored Ragna by establishing the “Oklahoma P.E. O. Projects Fund, Inc./Ragna Blake Scholarship.” She was a member of United Methodist Women, active in the Martha Ruth Circle, an Honorary Lifetime member of the Norman Chapter of the Embroidery Guild of America, a 25 year member of Pitch Club, and enjoyed many activities within the Methodist Church including making bibs for nursing homes, rummage sales, and Lunch Bunch. At the time of her death, Ragna was one of the oldest members of the Pauls Valley First United Methodist Church. Ragna had quite a sense of humor, and after all her many accomplishments, she always said her claim to fame was that she was born on the day the Oklahoma Capitol was moved from Guthrie to Oklahoma City. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, two sisters and one brother, all buried at Foster, OK. Her husband, Roger Blake died September 25, 1979 and a daughter-in-law, Stacey Blake died September 20, 1990. Surviving Ragna are one daughter, Beverly Blake Evans and husband, Ralph of Enid; four sons; Pearce Blake of Pauls Valley; Joe Blake of Oklahoma City; John Blake and wife, Susanne of Pauls Valley; and Steve Blake and wife Sandie of Oklahoma City. Also nine grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren; Mary Ragna Evans Yetter and husband, Erich, and Evan, Clara and Jacob of Peoria, IL; Blake Evans and wife, Marisa, Jordan and Alexandria of Studio City, CA; Paul Evans and wife, Kathy, and Dalton, Logan, and Mason of Lebanon, MO; Jeff Blake and wife, Emily, and Annie of Oklahoma City; Shannon Blake Walker and husband, Robert, and J.J. of Conway, AR; Stephanie Blake Russell and husband, Jamie, and Max, Zeke and Blake of Oklahoma City; Chris Blake and wife, Shelly, and Selah of Glen Rose, TX; Boston Blake of San Francisco, CA; and Savannah Blake of Jackson, Wyoming; also Susanne Blake’s children; Dawn Trubey Agnew and husband, Xavier, and Ariana and Evelyn of Stinson Beach, CA; and John Trubey and wife, Myrna, and John Pearce and Daniel of Dallas, TX. Ragna also leaves a wonderful caregiver and friend, Virginia Roark. A special thanks to Michelle Coffey, Lyda Owens, Lorene Anderson and Valley Hospice. In lieu of flowers two charities are suggested: The Pauls Valley First United Methodist Church and Okla. P.E.O. Projects Fund, Inc./Ragna Blake Scholarship. Memorials can be given through the funeral home. You may send a condolence to the family at www.woosterfuneralhomes.com.

Ragna Elizabeth Blake

June 11, 1910 - January 31, 2009