Retha Meroney

DEXTER -- Retha Meroney, 83, died Oct. 24, 2005, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff.

Born Sept. 22, 1922, at Puxico, daughter of the late John and Helen Hunt Ragsdale, she was a member of the Corinth General Baptist Church near Puxico and had worked at the International Hat Factory in Dexter.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by: five brothers, James Ragsdale, Calvin Ragsdale, Henry Ragsdale, Amos Ragsdale and Sylvester "Pete" Ragsdale; three sisters, Mae Arrowood, Mary Durall and Cova Ragsdale; one grandson, Robert Alan Kennedy; and a special friend, Eldon Cooper.

Survivors include: one son and daughter-in-law, Roger and Karla Short of Dexter; two daughters and sons-in-law, Betty and Dennis Sipes of Monticello, Ark., and Ginger and J.D. Sifford of Dudley; one sister, Gladys Simpson of Puxico; and four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Graveside services were conducted at 2 p.m. today at the Dexter Cemetery, with the Rev. Gary Cooper officiating.

Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home of Dexter was in charge of arrangements.