Graveside Services for Jo Ann Ragon, Age 91 of West Plains, Missouri will be held on Tuesday, June 30th, 2026 in The South-Fork Cemetery, South Fork, Missouri, beginning at 2:00 PM. Visitation will take place on Monday, June 29th, 2026 in The Rose Chapel of The Robertson Drago Funeral Home, West Plains, Missouri from 5:00- 7:00 PM. Memorial donations can be made to The Moody Volunteer Fire Department and dropped off at The Robertson Drago Funeral Home; 211 West Main, West Plains, Missouri.
Mrs. Ragon passed away June 22, 2026.
She was born March 10, 1935-sharing a birthday with her mother-Joan entered the world in Springfield, Illinois, the daughter of Claude Wilson and Regina (Miller) Wilson. Joan grew up in Illinois, California during WWII and was the older of two daughters. She graduated with a 4.0 GPA from Oblong Township High School in the Class of 1952. As an Air Force family, they were stationed in Barksdale, Louisiana, Spain, Okinawa and finally settled down at Vandenberg AFB California. During her travels around the world Joan worked for the United States Army, Air Force, Veterans Administration and the IRS. After thirty-three years of service, she finally retired until going to work in the Financial Aid Office at Southern Missouri State University (SMSU) West Plains MO. Joan loved to learn and was always reading books, learning to speak Spanish and Russian She attended college earning her BA in Business & Accounting while working and raising her family. She learned how to Polka Dance while in Junior High School, and often you would catch her dancing around the kitchen. Joan, Bob and the girls all learned how Square Dance and they enjoyed dancing as a family. Joan often made their coordinating square dance dresses with lots of fabric & lace and matching shirts for Bob. In her spare time, she would sit and do Hand Embroidery making all sorts of lovely family keepsakes. She was a member of Eastern Star, an Adult Supervisor, when the girls participated in The International Order of Rainbow for Girls. Joan volunteered assisting Seniors to complete their Income Taxes for several years. She loved to play cards, visit with the South Fork Neighbors and try new Jello Recipes! Joan grew up around dogs, cats and of course farm animals. She had her own menagerie over the years. Her dog Holly, that she adopted, was her companion for many years after finally retiring. Her favorite movies are Doctor Zhivago, Lawrence of Arabia and loved to watch Star Trek, Dr Who and Lawrence Welk. She was loved and is truly missed by family and friends.
Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Claude and Regina Wilson, her husband of seventy-one years, Bob and youngest daughter, Janice Lee Odom.
She is survived by her daughters, Nancy Jaye and husband, Doug and Debra Ayres and husband, Rick; five grandchildren, Jennifer, Cynthia, Vallory, Robert and Melissa; twelve great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and her beloved sister, Lois Simko, Olympia Washington.
