BEAVER DAM, Ky. — Mr. Richard Thomas Rager, 70, of Beaver Dam, entered into the inheritance purchased for him by His Lord & Savior Jesus Christ on Sept. 15, 2024. He was at his home in Beaver Dam surrounded by his family when he went home to be with Jesus. Richard T. “Rick” Rager was born in Todd County, Kentucky, on Oct. 4, 1953, to the late Earnest Coleman Rager and Jewell Dean Jones Rager.
Rick grew up with five brothers and four sisters. He graduated from Daviess County Jr. High School and then from Daviess County High School in 1971. He was married to Janice Fogle Minton (Owensboro, Kentucky) from 1972-78, to the late Clara Diane Rager (Hawesville, Kentucky) from 1981 until her passing in 2012, and was married to Naomi Ruth Rager (Beaver Dam) at the time of his death.
As a trained master electrician, he worked for the Aleris Corp and retired from there after more than 30 years of service. He also worked for ANS Fabrication in Livermore, Kentucky, as an electrician and maintenance consultant before fully retiring in 2021.
Rick loved to fish anytime there was an opportunity! He loved to camp! Even more than these things, he loved his family and found great satisfaction in providing for them, serving them, encouraging them, and guiding them toward a relationship with Jesus. In addition to his own family, Rick served in multiple churches in the Hawesville and Beaver Dam area as a Sunday School teacher, building and grounds director, and in numerous other ways as a servant to God’s people and to the Lord’s work in the churches! He was a member of New Zion Missionary Baptist Church near Beaver Dam. Having been saved and entering into a relationship with Jesus Christ as a boy, the greatest title that he had was being called a son of God. We rejoice that he is in heaven today with the Lord Jesus Christ!
He is survived by his wife of 11 years, Naomi Ruth Rager (Beaver Dam); his sons, T. Matthew Rager (JoAnn), of Dayton, Ohio, Mark A Rager (Amy), of Halls, Tennessee; his daughter, Dawn Mayo, of Owensboro, Kentucky; and his stepchildren, Jody Goodman (Mary Jane), Jamie Goodman (Brandy Jo), and Brandy Daugherty (Jamie), all of Beaver Dam, and Anita McColloch, of Louisville; 16 grandchildren and step-grandchildren, Jarryd, Hannah, Lukas, Kaleb, Eryn, Dakota, Kelsey, Seaira, Olivia, Montana, Houston, Savana, Alyson, Kara, Derek, Joseph; four step-great-grandchildren, Dereck, Saige, Ruthie Kate, Baby boy Goodman; three brothers, Larry Rager (Shirley), of Ohio County, Kentucky, Jerry Rager (Shirlee), and Gary Rager, both of Owensboro, Kentucky; three sisters, Nancy A. Chandler, of Greenville, Kentucky, Carolyn Killough (Jimmy), of Tupelo, Mississippi, and Emma Logsdon (Wayne), of Reynolds Station, Kentucky; and multiple nephews and nieces.
He is preceded in death by his father, Earnest C. Rager (Owensboro); his mother, Jewell D. Rager (Owensboro); his wife, Clara Diane Rager (Hawesville); his stepson, Michael J. Allen (Owensboro); his brother, William E. “Bill” Rager (Owensboro); his brother, Bennie D. Rager (Owensboro); his sister, Wanda Jewell Sweeney (Owensboro); his brother-in-law, Arthur L Chandler (Greenville, Kentucky); his sister-in-law, Brenda C. Rager (Owensboro); and his niece, Tonia K. Henderson (Owensboro).
Funeral services will be held at 12 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, at William L. Danks Funeral Home in Beaver Dam, Kentucky with Bro. Greg Fields and Bro. Mark Rager officiating. Burial will follow in Serenity Hills Cemetery in Hawesville, Kentucky. Friends may visit with Rick’s family from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday and 9 a.m. until the time of the service Wednesday at the funeral home.
The family request expressions of sympathy take the form of donations to, New Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 6690 Hwy 505 South, Horse Branch, KY 42349.
Online condolences may be left for the family of Richard “Rick” Thomas Rager by visiting his memorial tribute at www.danksfuneralhome.com.