Obituaries

James Gaut Ragsdale passed away peacefully on May 1, 2024, at the age of 73. He was born and raised in Knoxville, TN, son of the late Wm Hoyle Ragsdale Sr. and the late Mary Wright Ragsdale. Gaut earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Tennessee and his PhD from Indiana University. While at the University of Tennessee, he met the love of his life, Vicki, at a softball game where he charmed her with his wit and sense of humor.

After graduate school Gaut moved with his family to Louisiana where he was a professor at LSU until 1987, moving to northern Kentucky later that year to accept a position at Northern Kentucky University. While at NKU, he served as an associate professor, the associate dean for College of Informatics, chair of the Communications Department, and president of the Faculty Senate. According to a recent president of the US Treasury Agents Union, “Gaut was a witty individual with an excellent sense of humor and the ability to remain fair, tactful, and calm.” These traits served him well when working with his students, leading meetings, and in his role as parliamentarian for his church, the US Treasury Agents Union, and education associations in Alabama and Indiana.

In addition to his passion for his career, Gaut’s most proud accomplishments were his relationships with his family and friends. Throughout his life he was a devoted son, husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend. He loved working in his yard, sharing wonderful memories about his daughters Anna and Mary, and playing with his grandchildren. His most recent joys were making a Tik Tok video with his granddaughter, Carmena, and playing Connect 4 and building Legos with his grandsons Andreas, Anthony, and Angel.

A resident of Edgewood, KY, he is survived by his wife of 46 years, Vicki Abney Ragsdale, his children Anna Ragsdale and Mary Lillian Ragsdale, and four grandchildren, Carmena, Andreas, Anthony and Angel.

The memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 18, 2024, 2:00PM at First Unitarian Church, 536 Linton Street, Cincinnati, OH 45219. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Vicki and Gaut Ragsdale NKU Scholarship or the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

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