Ronald Jay Hartgraves

Published 8:28 am Thursday, October 19, 2023

Graveside service for Ronald Jay Hartgraves will be 10 a.m., Saturday, October 21, at Beauregard Cemetery in Wesson, MS.

Mr. Hartgraves, 86, of Wesson, died October 18, 2023, at his residence. He was born in Pella, Iowa, November 22, 1936, to Vernon Hartgraves and Mildred Bowers Hartgraves.

Ronald grew up in Ottumwa, Iowa. His parents moved to Brookhaven when the Jacobson Lawnmower plant was moved to MS. He graduated from Brookhaven High School where he was a tuba player in the band. He went on to Mississippi State University and graduated from Mississippi College. His friends in Mississippi called him “farmer” because of his connection to Iowa.

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He met his wife, Anna Storey, in 1965 and they were married in March of 1966. Their daughter, Sharon, was born on Christmas Day that year. Before retirement, he was employed at Potter Company in Wesson as a quality control manager. Ronald was an Elder at Wesson Presbyterian Church. He was also a member of the American Legion Drane/Prine Post in Wesson.

He is preceded in death by his parents.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 57 years, Anna Storey Hartgraves; his daughter, Sharon Hartgraves Speights and husband Joseph Scott Speights; two grandchildren, Laura Speights Tarver and husband, Jacob, Anna Speights Traxler and husband, Ryan; one great-grandchild, Jaxson Hayes Traxler; and a special caregiver, Theresa Barlow, as well as other loving family members and friends.

Condolences and other information are available online at www.riverwoodfamily.com.