Gerald Robert Ragis, born at Burlington, VT on March 31, 1935, the son of Bruno J. Ragis and Ruby Anne Sawtelle. He passed away on November 17, 2017 at University of Vermont Medical Center.
He was educated in the Burlington Parochial School system. Further education was at Genessee Abbey, Piffard, New York, Le Grand Seminaire de Montreal, Christ the King Seminary at St. Bonaventure University, Olean, NY.
Father Ragis was ordained to the Priesthood by Bishop Robert F. Joyce at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Burlington, on May 25, 1963. Since that time he has tried to serve the Church with compassion, honesty and common sense in various ministries at Rutland, St. Johnsbury, Burlington, Newport, and Orleans. For twelve years he was a monk of Mt. Saviour Monastery at Elmira, NY and Benson, VT. He then served as pastor at Charlotte and Hinesburg.
He is survived by his sister Gloria Stowell and her children; his brother Ronald and his son; his sister Ruth Ann Jones and her children as well as his close friends Zhao Peng and Henry Maciejewski.
Funeral services will be held and announced at a later date. Burial of his ashes will be private and at the discretion of the family.
His final request is that you pray for priests and do kind and loving things for each other, till we joyfully meet in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Gerald Robert Ragis
