William O. Ragland

William O. Ragland, age 90 of Gulfport, formerly of Clovis, New Mexico, passed away on Wednesday, September 7, 2011 in Gulfport.
He was born in Oxford, MS on August 19, 1921 to Riley B. and Jessie Lancaster Ragland, along with a twin brother Leenard.
He graduated from University High School in 1940 in Oxford, MS and entered the service in April 1942 where he retired from the Air Force in 1971. He served as a Bombardier-Navigator on a B-26 Medium Bomber flying 72 Combat Missions in the European Theater of Operations. He was awarded the Air Medal with 13 Oak Leaf Clusters, Distinguished Unit Badge, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 4 Bronze Stars, National Defense Service Medal, UNSVM, Good Conduct (BRZ with 3 LPS) Medal for Humane Action (Berlin Airlift), Air Force Res. Medal, WWII Victory Medal, and American Campaign Medal.
Upon retirement he settled in Clovis, New Mexico where he was engaged in Real Estate Sales and Brokerage until 1998. He was a member of Parkland Baptist Church in Clovis, NM.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Sharlotta Petty Hodge; his parents; and his son, Larry Ragland.
He is survived by his wife Virginia Poe Ragland, of Gulfport, whom he married in Clovis, NM; his daughter, Toni Munsell; his son, David Ragland and his wife Joy, all of San Diego, CA; granddaughter, Holly Lynn Dunk and her husband Brad, of Melbourne, Australia; his step-daughters, Sheila Ivy and her husband Robert, of Gulfport, and Sherry Cruthirds and her husband Wayne, of Biloxi; 4 step-grandchildren; and 9 step-great-grandchildren.
The Funeral Service will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, September 12, 2011 at RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 274 Beauvoir Rd., Biloxi, where friend may visit one hour prior to service..
Burial with military honors will follow in Biloxi National Cemetery.