Margaret Arlene Ragan

Margaret was born in Portland, Oregon on January 6, 1930 during a rare snowstorm, necessitating her and her mother having to stay in the hospital a few extra days because the roads were too treacherous to go home. Growing up in the Fulton neighborhood of Portland, she and her friend Roger had many adventures, including a secret visit to the city morgue. Her love of music started at a young age and she studied piano and French horn, and even played for church services while in high school. She marched with her band in the Portland Rose Parade. She received a full piano scholarship to Sherwood Music School in Chicago but was not allowed to attend because her mother didn’t want her to go so far away from home.

At the age of 18 she married, and two years later, in 1950, gave birth to Stephen Baker, her oldest of three children. Then in 1954 she gave birth to Diane Sparrow. Always an animal lover, she showed champion Dobermans, Boxers and Miniature Schnauzers, while working as a medical assistant for an orthopedic surgeon and an Ob/Gyn doctor.

On March 2, 1967, Margaret married Duane Ragan and shortly after they moved to Washington DC so Duane could pursue a career in public health policy. In 1970 Margaret gave birth to Dena Ragan Radosevic. Then in 1976, Margaret secretly purchased a Morgan mare with help from her childhood friend (of morgue fame) Roger. Eager to convince Duane that the horse was worth keeping, she took him to the paddock where she was being kept. There another mare came up to him and nuzzled him. Duane added her to the purchase, saying that the new mare would need a friend. So began Margaret’s new career of breeding and showing horses.

Shortly after, Duane was called back to active duty as a Colonel at Lowry Air Force Base in Colorado. The family purchased acreage with a beautiful barn and Margaret began breeding and showing Morgan horses in earnest.

In 1980 Margaret, Duane and Dena moved back to Maryland and she continued breeding Morgan horses until 2006. At that time she switched to breeding Welsh ponies so that her grandchildren could enjoy them. She continued breeding ponies until her passing.

Margaret is survived by her two daughters, Diane and Dena, her son-in-law Frank Radosevic, her four grandchildren, Heather, Sylvia, Madeline and Liam, and her five great-grandchildren. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her 2 siblings Junior and Mabel, her husband Duane and her son Stephen.

The family will receive friends at Lee Funeral Home Calvert, 8200 Jennifer Lane, Owings, MD 20736 on Sunday, March 3, 2024 from 2:00 – 4:00 pm. A Catholic Funeral Rite will be celebrated at Jesus the Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 1601 West Mount Harmony Road, Owings, MD 20736 on Monday, March 4, 2024 at 11:30 am. Interment will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.