Mary Jane (Schaefer) Raguso, 74 of Southern Pines, passed on Thursday, July 11, 2019 at the FirstHealth Hospice House in Pinehurst.  

A Funeral Mass celebrating Mary’s life will be held at 2PM on Friday July 19th at the Belle Meade Chapel in Southern Pines.  Inurnment will take place in Pinelawn Memorial Park Mausoleum next to her late husband Joseph Paul Raguso. 

Mrs. Raguso was born July 16, 1944 in New York, NY to the late James and May (Sawchuck) Schaefer.  She was a loving, devoted wife and mother and a loyal, dedicated, and true friend.  Those she met immediately felt her sincerity and  honesty, that she loved to laugh and love, and she was someone you could always count on.  Despite various hardships she faced both early and late in life she tirelessly made the best out of everything, good or bad.  She was fearless to take on new endeavors from returning to college to study accounting, to starting her own successful bread and cake business long before it became vogue.  She loved the outdoors, completed 38 marathons, enjoyed playing golf with her friends, tending her plants and flowers, and caring for the many cats and dogs she loved.  In her quiet time she was an avid seamstress who enjoyed crocheting, knitting, needle point and embroidery.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, Jospeh Paul Raguso who passed on May 23 of this year.  A graduate of John Jay College (BS, MS) and the FBI Academy he served in the New York City Police Department for 38 years retiring as Assistant Chief of the Brooklyn South Division.  Mary and Joseph retired in May of 2000 and moved to Pinehurst. Joseph ran and completed 32 marathons with Mary by his side to always help.

She is survived by a son, Joseph Anthony Raguso of San Francisco, CA; a daughter, Denine Marie Raguso of Southern Pines, NC; three grand-daughters, Miranda Dean Goodwin, Madison Avery Goodwin, and Morgan Nicole Goodwin.  She was preceded in death by a brother, John Schaefer.

Mary asked that Memorial donations be made in her memory to help disadvantaged children who currently live in Washington Heights in Manhattan where she grew up: 

MAIL: Police Athletic League, Attn: H Aldervan Daly, 34 1/2 East 12th St, New York, New York 10003 OR

ONLINE: https://palnyc2008.thankyou4caring.org/pages/donate

Online condolences can be made to www.bolesfuneralhome.com

Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.

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