W. Trent Ragland Jr.

1920 - 2015

W. Trent Ragland Jr. obituary, 1920-2015

W. Ragland Obituary

Published by Legacy Remembers on Mar. 3, 2015.

W. Trent Ragland, Jr., a leader in business, public service and philanthropy, died March 1, 2015 at Rex Hospital. He was 94 years old.
A graveside service will be held at Oakwood Cemetery at 11:00, Saturday, March 7. The service will be followed by a reception at St. David's School Dining Hall, 3400 White Oak Road, Raleigh.
In his life as a successful business leader, active public servant and generous philanthropist, Trent Ragland was known and loved for his boundless energy, genial spirit and wit, keen intellect, modesty and compassion for those in need of support or a helping hand. He took his responsibilities as a citizen very seriously.
Mr. Ragland was born August 12, 1920 in Salisbury, NC, the son of the late William Trent and Alice McKenzie Ragland. He grew up in Raleigh where he attended public schools before attending high school at Woodberry Forest School in Virginia.
After attending his freshman year at Virginia Military Institute, he transferred to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was graduated with a B.S. in Geology in 1941. At Chapel Hill, he was president of his fraternity Zeta Psi and Rex of the Order of Gimghoul.
Upon graduation, Mr. Ragland went to work for Superior Stone Company, which was founded in 1939 under the leadership of his father, William Trent Ragland, and uncle, Edmond Ragland. The beginning of World War II sent Trent Ragland, Jr. to the U.S. Navy where he served on the staff of Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, and later he was graduated from the Post Graduate School at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Mr. Ragland returned to Superior Stone Company in 1946 and became president at age 34, in 1954. Under his quiet, strong leadership, Superior Stone became a major producer of crushed stone and related products in the southeastern U.S. He continued as CEO of its successor companies for 23 years as he led Superior Stone into a merger with American Marietta Company in 1959. American Marietta merged with the Martin Company in 1961 to become Martin Marietta.
He served on the board of directors of American Marietta and Martin Marietta and, after stepping down as President, was Senior Vice President of Martin Marietta Aggregates for many years. Upon retirement, he was named Senior Vice President, Emeritus. He founded the NC Aggregates Association, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
An active man of wide-ranging interests, and a voracious reader, Mr. Ragland combined a far-ranging and successful business career with a remarkable record of public service and personal philanthropy. This one-time newspaper carrier boy who grew up in modest circumstances became a quiet-spoken business executive who moved easily among people and groups in all walks of life. His life reflected one who generously shared his time, talents and resources with others.
His many activities in public service involved more than 20 non-profit organizations and state government agencies. They include Chairman, The Independent College Fund of North Carolina (elected Honorary Life Member); Chairman, Peace College Board of Trustees (elected Honorary Life Member and received from Peace an Honorary Doctorate); Vice Chairman, Carolina Challenge and Board of Visitors, UNC-Chapel Hill; and member, NC Board of Conservation & Development.
Other positions were trustee, Rex Hospital, Raleigh; board member, Kate B. Reynolds Health Care Trust; board member, Atlantic & East Carolina Railroad and North Carolina Railroad; Vice President, Better Transportation for North Carolina; executive committee, United Way of Wake County; and President, Friends of the College Concert Association, NC State University. Additionally, he was a member of the North Caroliniana Society and a recipient of their award in 2004. He was honored by the News and Observer in 1963 as Tar Heel of the Week. In 1977 he served as President of the N.C Citizens Association, now known as N.C. Citizens for Business and Industry. In 2012 he was awarded the P.G. Fox Compassionate Care Award from the P.G. Fox Society and Duke Raleigh Hospital.
In 1959 Mr. Ragland established the W. Trent Ragland, Jr. Foundation. He quietly and effectively made generous contributions for over 55 years to many charitable and educational organizations and institutions in North Carolina and in the southeastern U.S. These included many involved in higher education, youth services, historic preservation, environmental protection, shelter and care of homeless, music, arts and culture. His generous gift of land made it possible for Raleigh to build a new Boys and Girls Club in 1977.
The William Trent Ragland Building at the Research Triangle Institute was named in honor of his late father. In 1971 Saint Mary's School named a classroom building in honor of his mother, Alice McKenzie Ragland, Class of 1914.
Trent Ragland established an Anna Wood Ragland Library Fund at UNC-Chapel Hill to honor his wife of 70 years (married in 1944), Anna Wood. Proceeds of the fund support the North Carolina Collection at the Wilson Library where the renowned Hayes Library is now located. The Hayes Library was originally at the home of Anna Wood's family in Edenton.
Later in life, in addition to their home in Raleigh, Trent and Anna Ragland enjoyed a home at Roaring Gap, NC for summer months and at John's Island, FL for wintertime. As active residents in three communities, they belonged to many clubs and other organizations, including the Carolina Country Club, Raleigh; Roaring Gap Club, Roaring Gap (including a term as President); John's Island Club, John's Island; the Country Club of North Carolina, Pinehurst, NC; The Sphinx Club, The Circle Club, The Nine O'Clock Cotillion Club, The Carousel Club, The Terpsichorean Club, and The Hoover Syndicate, Raleigh; The Raleigh Racquet Club; and others.
Surviving Mr. Ragland, in addition to his wife, are two daughters, Anna Ragland Hayes, Chapel Hill, Alice McKenzie Ragland (husband Duff McAdams), Raleigh, and a son, William Trent Ragland, III (wife Wes), Raleigh, and brother, William McKenzie Ragland. In addition, there are four grandchildren: John Patrick Keenan, Anna Christine McKenzie Keenan, William Trent Ragland, IV, and Mary Suiter Ragland; one great-grandchild: Guinevere Keenan.
The family would like to express profound appreciation to the following caregivers and helpers: Alyson Young, Emmett Furrow, Carolyn Hall, Jane Reynolds, Yolanda Robinson, Mary Beth Bilbry, Donna Rocha, Emily Pardue, Kelley Karns, Shirley Payne, Katherine Pullen, Vicky Cassell, Iris Turner, David Ruff, Julie Adams, and Carol Hoke. The family is also grateful to the Rex Hospital Fourth Floor nurses and aides who showed extraordinary care and kindness to Mr. Ragland and his family.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Boys and Girls Club or to the charity of the donor's choice.
Arrangements by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary's Street Raleigh.

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5 Entries

March 6, 2015

Steve Parrott

My thoughts and prayers are with your family. I lost my father in October 2014 and he too was a World War II veteran. Wake Education Partnership was a beneficiary of Mr. Ragland's personal philanthropy and we will forever be indebted to him for supporting public education in Wake County.

March 4, 2015

H.David Bruton

Trent Ragland was a quiet beautiful man.

March 4, 2015

Ginger Shields

My prayers are with your family. I attended Peace College in 1975 and had the 1st tennis scholarship there due to Mr. Ragland's generosity. He meant so very much to the school. Dr. Frazier was so very grateful of the support that was given by Mr. Ragland to help make Peace the wonderful school it was and still is today.

March 4, 2015

Carolyn Hall RN

My sincere condolences to the family. May God be with you during this time of sorrow. My life was enriched by caring for Trent and getting to know him. He was a giver not a taker. He enjoyed life to the fullest. He took great pleasure in giving and caring for others. The memories of the time spent caring for Trent will always live in my heart.

March 3, 2015

My sincere condolences to family and friends. May you draw strength from the God of all comfort.

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300 Saint Mary's Street, Raleigh, NC 27605

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