Opal Berlene Ragland, age 98 of Marshall, Arkansas passed from this life to the next on Friday, December 21st, 2018 at Highland Court Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. She was born in Searcy County, Arkansas on March 9th, 1920 to Myrt Boyd Bohannon and Sally Bell Horton Bohannon. She married Floyd Ragland on January 6th, 1940.

Berlene was a charter member of the Welcome Home Church. She accepted Christ as her Savior and was baptized in August 1968 during the revival services that led to the founding of the church in the Welcome Home community. Berlene was an expert gardener, cook, quilter, seamstress, and especially had a green thumb for flowers. She enjoyed her time as a member of the Welcome Home Ladies Garden Club. While her health allowed, she enjoyed riding the Senior bus to the Searcy County Senior Center on Fridays for lunch and fellowship with her friends. Since October 2015, she was a resident of Highland Court and enjoyed visiting with the staff, residents, and visitors there. She especially loved the bingo games.

Survivors include three sons, Doyle Ragland and wife Daley of Marshall, Donald Ragland and wife Fredia of Marshall and Roy and wife Gail, also of Marshall; sisters, Hazel Taylor of Marshall, Maye Webb of Burdette and Francis Bratton of Jonesboro; ten grandchildren; twenty-nine great grandchildren; ten great-great grandchildren; and a dear friend, Chrestie Rizzo.

Berlene is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Floyd Ragland who passed away in 1999; daughter, Mildred Howell; son, Gerald Ragland; four brothers, Joe, Willie, Vernon and Howard Bohannon; and two sisters, Modene Moore and Vaudie Kelly.

Funeral services for Berlene will be 2:00 PM Sunday, December 23rd, 2018 at Welcome Home Church with Bro. Bob Harmon, Bro. Purvis Rodrigues and Bro. Jim Arnold Jr. officiating. Visitation will be 6:00 till 8:00 PM Saturday, December 22nd, 2018 in the Chapel. Burial will be in Chinquapin Cemetery near Welcome Home. Pallbearers will be Tony Emerson, Richard Emerson, Ricky Ragland, Donnie Ragland, Carroll Ragland and Jeremy Ragland. Honorary pallbearers will be Gwenn Myatt, Maycelle Britto, Sonja Glaze and Carmella Johnson. At the family’s request in lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Chinquapin Cemetery Fund, c/o Doyle Ragland, 18417 S. Hwy 27, Marshall, AR 72650.