Charles "Chad" K. Ragland, 73, died peacefully at home on Sunday, August 2, 2015 after a long, courageous fight with brain cancer.

He was born February 2, 1942 in Baltimore, MD to Edward (deceased) and Marjorie (deceased) and grew up in Bethesda, MD with younger siblings John and Beth.

From his youth through his college years he was a competitive swimmer. He graduated from the University of Miami as a proud member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, with a degree in History.

After graduation he decided to join the US Army. After attending Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, GA and Jungle Warfare School in Panama he served as a Lieutenant in Vietnam from 1967 to 1969 when he was honorably discharged. His service medals include the Purple Heart, Bronze Star Medal with Valor, an additional Bronze Star Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Gallantry Cross with Silver Star, and the Air Medal.

He was a man of many interests, which took him from working as the National Coordinator of State Finance Chairman for President Ford's election campaign to self-employment with a backpacking/mountaineering company in Park City, Utah to Executive Director of Our Lady of Lourdes Children's Cancer Foundation in Miami and later Director of Development with the American Red Cross - Palm Beach County Chapter. He then found his true calling as an Investment Advisor, capping his career as Managing Director of Investments for Wells Fargo Advisors.

He spent the last 30 years working throughout Palm Beach County to help secure the financial well-being of the clients he cared so much about, while building a successful partnership with fellow brokers and friends Scott Powers, Sean Sill and Greg Powers. The team he built was recognized as one of Barron's Top 1200 Advisors for 2014 and 2015.

Service was always a very important part of Chad's life, witnessed by his dedication to several charities and civic causes, both locally and nationally. Offices held include past President of Kiwanis of Palm Beach, Board Chair of Pine Crest School at Boca Raton, and Founding Board Chairman of Operation Homefront - Florida. In 2008 he was awarded the prestigious Wachovia Way award, a national honor recognizing his involvement in the community. In 2010 he received the Wells Fargo Volunteer of the Year award, a nationwide award for his work with Operation Homefront.

He was just as committed to informally serve, for example, by mobilizing relief supply efforts in the early hours after Hurricanes Andrew and Charlie. Always the avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed the thrill of competitive sailing, mountain climbing, downhill skiing and even his first skydiving adventure at age 68.

A 1979 sailboat race serendipitously led him to meet the love of his life, Kathleen, in Cat Cay. They married in 1980 and shared 34 years together. They were blessed with 2 children, Kristin and Charles, and a granddaughter, Josie, all of whom Chad considered his pride and joy. He touched countless other lives as a devoted friend, colleague, teammate, and fellow volunteer. His was a life well-lived and his memory will live on in all who loved him.