Patti Badeau Ragan

YADKINVILLE  -  Patti L. Badeau Ragan “went home to be with Jesus” on January 28^th, 2022.  She is the daughter of the late Charles Arthur Sutter and the late Christine G. Sutter of North Tonawanda, NY, and is survived by her sister Katherine (Peter) Smith of Winston-Salem, NC; her brothers Charles (Kathleen) Sutter of Alden, NY; her brother Joseph of West Henrietta, NY; her nieces Mary and Angela, and nephews Charles and Christian, and her great-nephews and niece, Conrad, Cass and Amelia. She leaves behind dear friends, including Thelma and Hank, Elaine, Teresa, Lori and Cheryl, and many, many others. She also leaves behind her beloved pups, Molly and Tippy, who have been placed in good homes.

Patti was born on December 1, 1958 in North Tonawanda, NY, and graduated from North Tonawanda Senior High, where she was an excellent student.  She attended the State University of New York at Buffalo, and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work.  Her early career was spent in youth services, and she worked at a childcare worker and mental health specialist at Baker Hall, Buffalo; a Youth Counselor at North Buffalo Community Center; a counselor at Tryon Girls Secure Home in Johnstown, NY; and a Youth Division Counselor at New York State Division for Youth in Great Valley, New York. She also worked as a corrections counselor at the New York State Department of Corrections, Greene Correctional Facility.  

During this time, she met Paul H. Badeau in Red Rock, NY, and it was love at first sight. They married on September 22, 1990.  He was a woodworker and an antique dealer, and he found a piece of property in Yadkinville, NC with an interesting barn for him to establish his woodworking shop. They relocated to Yadkinville, and Patti worked in a youth group home in Mt. Airy and as a child protective officer in the Yadkin County Department of Social Services until 1994.

Paul passed away in 1993, shortly after they moved to Yadkinville.  On her own, Patti had the old house on the property razed and built a new home.  She made a career move as well, and her passion became working with the elderly; she completed her career with the title of Adult Service Supervisor in Yadkin County DSS, where she was a tireless advocate for the rights and well-being of her clients.  Someone who worked with her said, “She was a bridgebuilder.  She might not be the one to benefit from the bridge she built, but she always thought about the next social worker, the next client who would need help, and built the bridge to make it easier for them.”

Patti married Royce G. Ragan in July of 1996, and they shared a full life of travel and cherished time with family and friends, and even ran a business together for a time.  They became active members of the Yadkinville United Methodist Church, where they both were part of the Praise Band for services. She could not get enough of bible studies and participated in many of them at Yadkinville UMC.  She also received a certificate for completing the Faith Partners Alcohol and Drug Team Ministry in 2007. She also participated in and completed the church’s Walk to Emmaus program, and was active in many of the church women’s groups.

She always supported her family. Although she could not have children of her own, she treated everyone’s children as her own, especially her nieces and nephews; she was godmother to two of them. Relatives in need lived with her for periods of time; she was always a generous gift giver; and as her health declined, she was frustrated that she could not travel and be a part of more family events. She talked to her sister Katherine daily and her brothers and sister-in-law, Joe, Chuck and Kathy, several times a week.

Patti retired in 2018.  Although she had planned to travel, her husband became ill, and she cared for Royce in their home where he died in November 2021. Patti wanted to spend her time getting her health back, but a fall turned into a rapid decline in her health. She passed away at Forsyth Medical Center on January 28^th.  Many relatives and friends visited her in person and on the phone as she was declining.  While she could still talk, she told people not to cry and, several times, said that she was going to be with Jesus and to see all the people that she loved who had passed before. She truly “ran the race and fought the good fight” until the end, and she will be sorely missed by the many who knew and loved her.

Memorials Donations may be directed to: Mountain Valley Hospice, 401 Technology Lane, Suite 200, Mt. Airy, NC  27030 or Yadkinville United Methodist Church, PO Box 25, Yadkinville, NC  27055.

Funeral Services will be held at Yadkinville United Methodist Church on Saturday, February 5 at 1:00 PM.