TWU alum, camp director had heart of gold
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TWU alumna Cynthie Jane Ragsdale BA/BS ’79 had a Texas-sized passion for the outdoors and improving the lives of others, so it didn’t surprise anyone that she remained an integral part of a girls’ camp for more than 50 years.
She was among the many people who died during flash flooding near Hunt in the Texas Hill Country on July 4.
Known by many as the “heart and soul” of Heart O’ the Hills summer camp for girls, Ragsdale became enthralled with camp life from the time she first set foot on a campground when she was a girl.
After her family became part-owners of a Hunt-based camp in 1966, Ragsdale became a fixture at summer camps. Over the decades she transitioned from camper to counselor, to program director and, finally, camp director – a position she held at Heart O’ the Hills since 1988.
She was dedicated to creating a nurturing environment for girls at the camp, which became her legacy. Over the decades, thousands of girls attended Heart O’ the Hills, which bills itself as a “cornerstone of growth and adventure since 1953.” According to its website, the summer camp’s mission is to “offer girls a supportive environment where they can explore their potential, build lifelong friendships and develop confidence.”
During a 2015 hour-long interview with an oral history project sponsored by the Kerr County Historical Commission, Ragsdale noted her longevity in the camping world could be attributed to her love for the outdoors and the feeling that her job never felt like work.
“My friends are retiring and I’m like, ‘why would you do that?’” she began, then added: “Then I realized, when they get up, they’re going to work. When I get up, I’m not going to work. I’m just doing what I love.”
Following her graduation from Texas Woman’s, where she earned bachelor’s degrees in journalism and Spanish, Ragsdale embarked on a series of volunteer missions to Guatemala with a non-profit humanitarian organization to install water filtration systems, paint schools and churches, develop educational programs and provide women’s health services.
Page last updated 8:43 AM, July 8, 2025