James E Ragsdale

James E. Ragsdale, 86, died Jan. 29, 2020 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Jim started his profession as a photographer while serving in the U.S. Air Force. Jim was stationed for three years at Headquarters, Far East Air Command, Tokyo, Japan from 1953 1956. He was assigned to the Stars and Stripes newspaper as a photo journalist. He was flown all over the Far East to cover important, news worthy stories. When his tour of duty was up in the Far East, he was stationed at Forbes AF Base in Topeka, KS where he met his wife Rosalie. They married in 1958. After his Honorable Discharge in 1957, he had a variety of photography jobs and decided he wanted more out of photography, so he and Rosalie moved to Santa Barbara, CA where Jim enrolled at Brooks Institute of Photography. After graduating in 1960, they moved back to Colorado Springs and set up a studio in 1961. In 1970, Jim was elected president of the Rocky Mountain Professional Photographers Association. Mr. Ragsdale is survived by his daughter Andrea J. Gorham and son James Bradley Ragsdale, 4 grandchildren, Trevor Gorham, AnnaClaire Gorham, Nathaniel Gorham and James Anthony Ragsdale; and one great-grandchild, Harrison Gorham. Service Information A service summary is not available