Nola Pauline (Ragsdale) Emerson, 92, of Mineola (formerly of Greenville) passed away February 23, 2017 at Mineola Healthcare Residence in Mineola. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM Saturday, March 4th at Coker-Mathews Funeral Home chapel with Rev. Jimmy Vaughn officiating. Interment will follow at Etter Lake Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Friday, March 3rd at the funeral home.
Born April 25, 1924 in Battle Axe, Nola Pauline was the daughter of Paul H. and Iva Spears Ragsdale. She graduated in 1941 from Greenville High School. She worked at Shirey and Company in Greenville for 13 years as a sample supervisor. In 1963, she started attending East Texas Teachers College and got her B.S. in 1966 and received her Masters of Education from East Texas State University in 1969. In 1967, she began her teaching career in homemaking in Greenville Junior High and High Schools and taught for 20 years retiring in 1987. She was advisor of Future Homemakers of America and Young Homemakers of Texas, Texas State Teachers Association, Greenville Retired Teachers, and Fannie Marchman Garden Club in Mineola. She was member of Highland Terrace Baptist Church in Greenville.
She loved her family and friends and rarely met a stranger. She was proud of her college degrees she earned and loved teaching. She loved Greenville, and she loved all those who cared for her at Mineola Healthcare and the new friends she made there. She also loved the church services that she attended there.
She is survived by her son Larry Emerson and wife, Vivian; daughter Carol and husband, Bill Patterson; foster daughter Donna and husband, C. J. Demack; grandchildren Paul Emerson, Stephanie Cove, Mitchell Emerson, Ashley Davis, Derek Demack and Tiffany Demack; brother John Ragsdale and wife, Carolyn; sister-in-law Jane Ragsdale; 8 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brother Eugene Ragsdale; sister and brother-in-law Christine and Wendle Lummus; and infant sister Mary Lou Ragsdale.
Pallbearers will be Jeff Ragsdale, Mike Ragsdale, Keith Ragsdale, Kevin Ragsdale, David Lummus, and Russell Hill.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to: Karen Harris, Activity Director, Mineola Healthcare Residence, 716 Mimosa, Mineola, Texas 75773.