Ragie L. Buck, 91, of Otsego and formerly of Watervliet, passed away Sunday, March 5, 2017, at the Allegan County Medical Care Community. Mrs. Buck was born Jan. 13, 1926, in Springfield, Mo., to George Washington and Ruth Alberta (Payne) Honicutt, but after her father's sudden death, the family moved to Michigan.
Starting around the age 9, she was raised at the House of David in Benton Harbor. Less than a month shy of her 17th birthday, she married Francis Lewis Buck on Dec. 24, 1942. Reggie (as she was often called) followed her husband around the United States while he served in the Army, working various civilian jobs to serve the cause.
After the war, they settled in Coloma to raise a family. She became a foster mother and devoted her life to being a parent and grandparent. As son Ron's children grew up and granddaughter Shannon moved out of state, Ragie and Louie moved to Otsego to be close to and help raise grandchildren, Alissa and James.
She was the ultimate mother figure. She modeled appropriate behavior and intellect far beyond her limited formal education. Her love was not limited to biologically related family. All were always welcome in her home.
She loved gardening, canning and cooking. She was especially known for her pies and cinnamon rolls. She learned to like sports, rather than become a Sunday afternoon widow. She developed her own favorite teams in football, basketball and baseball.
It took Derek Jeter to get her to cheer for her husband's lifelong favorite baseball team, the Yankees. She thought Jeter to be such a great role model and questioned the ethics of players that her grandson James would cheer for. She enjoyed their good-natured banter on ethics.
She was preceded in death by her husband Frank in 2005.
Surviving are her three sons, Ronald (Shirley) Buck of Watervliet, Michael (Deborah) Buck of Otsego and Carl (Sharon) Buck of Richland; grandchildren, Melinda Buck, Robert Buck, James (Laurel) Buck, Alissa (Ryan) Renner, Shannon (Lt. Col. Clifton) Harris, Zachary Ullisch, Kaydie (Ashley) McCormick and Kelsey McCormick; and great-grandchildren, Elora, Alexander, Gabriel and Abraham Harris, Jace Ullisch, Cohen Renner and Sullivan and Shuyler Buck.
A private family burial was be at Trowbridge Methodist Cemetery in Trowbridge Township. Friends may visited with Ragie's family, Sunday, March 12, at Winkel Funeral Home, Otsego.
In lieu of flowers, the family would encourage donations to Wings of Hope Hospice or the Allegan Medical Care Community.
Messages of condolence may be posted at www.WinkelFuneralHome.com.
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