Rebajo Alexander

Rebajo Alexander (Jo) was born on July 1, 1927, to Tom and Florence Ferguson in Garza County, Texas. She was the third child born to the family and the first girl. She had two older brothers and would get another brother a few years later.

Her childhood was spent on farms in West Texas and in the lower Rio Grande Valley. By the time World War II came along, the family had moved to West Texas while the two oldest boys went off to serve the country. The family eventually moved to Odonnell, Texas. Jo attended Ralls High School where she played basketball on the varsity girls’ team. She met her future husband, John Ragan, in high school before graduating in 1944.

She married John in October of 1944. He was drafted into the army shortly after the wedding, forcing the newlyweds to move to Northern California. In January 1945, her brother, C.T., went missing in action in the Southern Pacific. John graduated basic training and Jo moved back to Texas when he shipped out for overseas duty. After he returned home in 1946, they moved to a farm in Borden County to begin a life and a family. Their son, Lee, was born in 1947. Jo gave birth to a daughter, Jerri, in 1949.

In late 1953, they moved to the Ragan home place in Lynn County, followed by a move to Pasadena, Texas. The family lived in Pasadena for three years and then moved to Crosby County. They lived on a farm north of Ralls for about three years. The next move brought the family to Jal, New Mexico. A new house was built while Jo attended beauty school in Hobbs. The stay in New Mexico lasted about three years when John’s job transferred him to Odessa, Texas in August of 1961. Soon after the move, they bought the Beauty Center on 7th Street. They divorced in 1963.

In 1966, Jo married Loyd Alexander. This marriage lasted for about three years. They remained friends until his death in the early 1970’s.

Jo sold the beauty salon to her daughter in the 1980’s and went into semi-retirement. Jo continued to work as a beautician until she turned 80 years old. She was a long-time member of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA). Other organizations she was a member of included the Ralls Study Club, National Society United States Daughters of 1812, Daughters of the Republic of Texas, and The United Daughters of the Confederacy. She enjoyed cruises, visits to Las Vegas, and casino trips to New Mexico and the Northside Senior Center.

Rebajo is preceded in death by her parents and all three of her brothers. C.T. was the first, having given his life in service to our country in 1945. J.T. died in 2008 and Kelly in 2009.

She is survived by her son, Lee Ragan and his wife Shirley; and her daughter, Jerri Gandy of Odessa, Texas. She is also survived by two grandchildren, Jennifer Kinman and her husband John of Lubbock, Texas, Brad Gandy and his wife Jamie of Tomball, Texas. Also surviving her are her great grandchildren, Keifer Kinman, Blake Gandy, and Nathan Gandy. Jo also leaves behind two nieces, great nieces, great nephews, and many friends.