Maxanne Noel Ragusa

MaxAnne Noel Ragusa, 70, died peacefully on Monday, April 15, at her Covington home. A flowing stream of friends, loved ones and church family spilled into MaxAnne’s cozy living room in her final days to recount their memories, hold her hand and share their tears and laughter, just as so many of them had done with MaxAnne in that same living room through the years. 

In fact, the home she shared with her late husband, Guy Ragusa, witnessed countless hours and many years of love and laughter as they together, and in the years following Guy’s death in 2015, opened the home’s doors to all in need. 

Born in Warsaw, IN, in 1953, to Max and Emma Ann Noel, MaxAnne grew up in Greenwood, IN, and graduated with the Greenwood High School Class of 1972. Soon after, she moved to Louisiana, the state she would call home for the rest of her life. 

When she wasn’t sharing a cup of tea with a friend, MaxAnne loved spending time tending her garden and admiring the beauty of God’s remarkable world. An avid birdwatcher and animal lover, MaxAnne’s yard welcomed wildlife of all kinds. She appreciated craftsmanship, beauty and making people smile, and poured that appreciation into her jewelry-making business, One of a Kind by MaxAnne. Many weekends she could be found displaying her creations at local art fairs alongside her companion Mike Davis.

She also deeply treasured her family at New Zion Baptist Church where she was instrumental in starting the Celebrate Recovery program. 

MaxAnne’s twinkling eyes and ready bursts of laughter will be missed by all who knew and loved her, not least among them her beloved dogs, Jojo, Velma Lou and Cleo. 

MaxAnne is survived by her brother, Brad Noel (Carolyn); niece Brooklyn Lowery (Jonathan); nephew Blake Noel (Erin); stepsons, Mario Ragusa (Mishelle), Mark Ragusa and Paul Ragusa (April); stepdaughter Theresa Ragusa; grandchildren Shelby Sims (Reagan), Mandy Caldwell and Steven Joseph Ragusa; four great grandchildren; and numerous aunts, cousins and close friends. She is preceded in death by her parents, Max and Emma Ann Noel, and husband, Guy Ragusa Jr.