Lillie Mae Arnold was the second of two daughters and the fourth of six children born to the marriage of William Bunyon Arnold and the former Mary Alice Powell.
Lillie Arnold Ragsdale Harding was married three times: around 1924 she married Jess Raymond Ragsdale. The couple, who made their home in Fort Worth where Jess was an employee of the Texas & Pacific Railway (T&P), were never blessed with children. A man who was very fond of children, Jess sorely missed not having any children of his own. After more than 30 years of marriage, Lillie and Jess were divorced and Jess entered into another brief marriage before returning to his senses. That alliance ended and he and a joyful Lillie were married for the second time. Their marriage lasted until Jesse's death on Sept. 14, 1954.
Lillie later married Ohio native William Eliis "Bill" Harding, a retired railroad employee and inventor who held several patents. The two had met while he shared a hospital room at the T&P Employees Hospital in Marshall, Texas with Jess. Bill Harding would share his life with Lillie for three short years before his death on 23 July 1958 in Sherman where the couple lived. Lillie laid him to rest in Sherman in West Hill Cemetery.
Lillie continued to make Sherman her home until she lost most of her sight to acute glaucoma in the 1970s. Her youngest brother, Clifford, and his wife moved her from Sherman to their home in Marshall until her health began to decline. She entered the Colonial Park Nursing Home in Marshall where she would spend the rest of her life.
After several years of deteriorating health, Lillie passed away at the nursing home shortly after dinner one day after her 86th birthday.
She was laid to rest beside her first love, Jess Ragsdale.
Lillie Arnold Ragsdale Harding was married three times: around 1924 she married Jess Raymond Ragsdale. The couple, who made their home in Fort Worth where Jess was an employee of the Texas & Pacific Railway (T&P), were never blessed with children. A man who was very fond of children, Jess sorely missed not having any children of his own. After more than 30 years of marriage, Lillie and Jess were divorced and Jess entered into another brief marriage before returning to his senses. That alliance ended and he and a joyful Lillie were married for the second time. Their marriage lasted until Jesse's death on Sept. 14, 1954.
Lillie later married Ohio native William Eliis "Bill" Harding, a retired railroad employee and inventor who held several patents. The two had met while he shared a hospital room at the T&P Employees Hospital in Marshall, Texas with Jess. Bill Harding would share his life with Lillie for three short years before his death on 23 July 1958 in Sherman where the couple lived. Lillie laid him to rest in Sherman in West Hill Cemetery.
Lillie continued to make Sherman her home until she lost most of her sight to acute glaucoma in the 1970s. Her youngest brother, Clifford, and his wife moved her from Sherman to their home in Marshall until her health began to decline. She entered the Colonial Park Nursing Home in Marshall where she would spend the rest of her life.
After several years of deteriorating health, Lillie passed away at the nursing home shortly after dinner one day after her 86th birthday.
She was laid to rest beside her first love, Jess Ragsdale.
Lillie Mae Arnold was the second of two daughters and the fourth of six children born to the marriage of William Bunyon Arnold and the former Mary Alice Powell.
Lillie Arnold Ragsdale Harding was married three times: around 1924 she married Jess Raymond Ragsdale. The couple, who made their home in Fort Worth where Jess was an employee of the Texas & Pacific Railway (T&P), were never blessed with children. A man who was very fond of children, Jess sorely missed not having any children of his own. After more than 30 years of marriage, Lillie and Jess were divorced and Jess entered into another brief marriage before returning to his senses. That alliance ended and he and a joyful Lillie were married for the second time. Their marriage lasted until Jesse's death on Sept. 14, 1954.
Lillie later married Ohio native William Eliis "Bill" Harding, a retired railroad employee and inventor who held several patents. The two had met while he shared a hospital room at the T&P Employees Hospital in Marshall, Texas with Jess. Bill Harding would share his life with Lillie for three short years before his death on 23 July 1958 in Sherman where the couple lived. Lillie laid him to rest in Sherman in West Hill Cemetery.
Lillie continued to make Sherman her home until she lost most of her sight to acute glaucoma in the 1970s. Her youngest brother, Clifford, and his wife moved her from Sherman to their home in Marshall until her health began to decline. She entered the Colonial Park Nursing Home in Marshall where she would spend the rest of her life.
After several years of deteriorating health, Lillie passed away at the nursing home shortly after dinner one day after her 86th birthday.
She was laid to rest beside her first love, Jess Ragsdale.
Lillie Arnold Ragsdale Harding was married three times: around 1924 she married Jess Raymond Ragsdale. The couple, who made their home in Fort Worth where Jess was an employee of the Texas & Pacific Railway (T&P), were never blessed with children. A man who was very fond of children, Jess sorely missed not having any children of his own. After more than 30 years of marriage, Lillie and Jess were divorced and Jess entered into another brief marriage before returning to his senses. That alliance ended and he and a joyful Lillie were married for the second time. Their marriage lasted until Jesse's death on Sept. 14, 1954.
Lillie later married Ohio native William Eliis "Bill" Harding, a retired railroad employee and inventor who held several patents. The two had met while he shared a hospital room at the T&P Employees Hospital in Marshall, Texas with Jess. Bill Harding would share his life with Lillie for three short years before his death on 23 July 1958 in Sherman where the couple lived. Lillie laid him to rest in Sherman in West Hill Cemetery.
Lillie continued to make Sherman her home until she lost most of her sight to acute glaucoma in the 1970s. Her youngest brother, Clifford, and his wife moved her from Sherman to their home in Marshall until her health began to decline. She entered the Colonial Park Nursing Home in Marshall where she would spend the rest of her life.
After several years of deteriorating health, Lillie passed away at the nursing home shortly after dinner one day after her 86th birthday.
She was laid to rest beside her first love, Jess Ragsdale.
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