Cedar Point — Ronald “Ronnie” Lee Ragan, 78, passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at Duke University Medical Center, surrounded by his family. He was born August 7, 1948, in Durham, North Carolina, to the late Walter Lee and Elsie Miller Ragan.

Ronnie graduated from Durham High School in 1966 before enlisting in the U.S. Army National Guard. He began his professional career with IBM and later became a District Sales Manager for Burlington Air Express. After leaving BAX, Ronnie followed his entrepreneurial spirit and became a real estate broker, owning and operating Ragan’s Properties, LLC. He worked closely with land developers and built a successful career based on his knowledge, dedication, and strong relationships. He was highly respected by those who had the privilege of working with him.

Ronnie had a deep love for the water and fishing. He made many cherished friendships through countless days spent on the water and was well known throughout the Swansboro community for his exceptional fishing skills. Fishing was more than a pastime for Ronnie—it was a lifelong passion that began when he was a young boy fishing with his grandfather. He loved sharing stories about his fishing adventures and could talk about fishing for hours with anyone willing to listen.

Ronnie married the love of his life, Sandra Rhodes Ragan, and they shared 55 years of marriage before her passing on August 11, 2025. During the final year of his life, Sandra remained very much a part of his every conversation, as he often shared a story or fond memory of the life they built together. He missed her deeply and carried his love for her with him every day.

Ronnie is survived by his children, Brian Ragan (Jamie) of Wake Forest and Jennifer Strange of Durham; grandchildren, Cole and Grey Ragan of Wake Forest and Graham and Caroline Strange of Durham; his brother, Mark Ragan (Terri) of Durham; niece, Crystal Berry (Chris) of Hurdle Mills; nephew, Randall Ragan (Abby) of Durham; great-nephews, Cody and Cooper Berry of Hurdle Mills and Mason and Wyatt Ragan of Durham; and great-nieces, Carrie Berry of Hurdle Mills and Emery Ragan of Durham.

And, in true Ronnie fashion, those who knew him best will always remember his parting words: “Lator Dick.”

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the charity of one’s choice.

A private service will be held at a later date.