Ramona Scaggs

Ramona Edna Scaggs, 86 of Summit, died April 16th at Woodland Oaks.
She was born August 19th, 1937 in Atlanta, GA, a daughter of the late Ruey and Hazel Maddix
Collins. She and her brother Phil were raised by their grandparents, Neal “Pop” and Maggie
“Mom” (McKnight) Collins of Catlettsburg.

In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by a daughter, Gina Lyn Scaggs Epifano,
husband William E. Scaggs, half-brothers Cary Lee Collins and Randy Collins (Virginia), Mom
and Pop as well as maternal grandparents Fred and Edna Binion Maddix. She is survived by a
brother Phil Collins and wife Sue of Catlettsburg, half-sisters Donna Cherry (North Carolina),
Joy Westfall (Virginia), Linda Adkins (Ohio), Rueyenne White (Virginia) and Robin Plunkett
(Virginia), a daughter Keri Scaggs (Alaska) and grandson Anthony Epifano of Louisville.
Ramona graduated from Boyd County High School and Ashland Junior College. After college
she began teaching at Hatfield Grade School in Catlettsburg. She met her husband at AJC and
they married on December 19th, 1957. After the birth of Gina in 1960 she left public school and
began what would become a long and prolific career teaching private piano lessons. She
returned to school to obtain a Regents Bachelor of Arts in Music from Marshall University in
1983. She was also certified through the Kentucky Music Teachers Association, Music Teachers National Association, American College of Musicians and the National Guild of Piano Teachers.
She began studying music at the age of 8 and started accompanying Pastor Charles Stewart at
Leach Station Baptist Church when she was 10. Her teaching history began while in high
school, and continued well into her sixties. Over 55 years it’s estimated that she taught around
4,500 students - and she loved every minute of it. She was the first to bring Kindermusik (1987)
to the region, which started an entirely new musical adventure - with studios in Ashland and
Huntington. Throughout these decades she remained faithful in sharing her musical talents with
Pastor Stewart, Steve Evans and the folks at Rose Hill.

The accolades she received - both as student and teacher - are too numerous to mention. But
what mattered most were the relationships built along the way. Between music and teaching
Sunday School, she had the opportunity to get close to some extraordinary young people -
people she loved dearly who became family. She would hate it if anyone was accidentally
omitted - so we won’t list names. But you know who you are …
Mona said she wanted her service to be like Bill’s, so we’ll say with gratitude that to be absent
from the body is to be present with the Lord.

Funeral services will be held 1:00pm Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at the STEEN FUNERAL HOME 13TH ST. CHAPEL by Steve Evans. Burial will follow services in the Catlettsburg Cemetery.

Visitation for family and friends will be Monday evening from 6-8pm and Tuesday prior to services from 12-1 at the funeral home.

Condolences may be sent to steenfuneralhome.com. For those who would like to send flowers,
please do. She loved them. Whatever is received will be shared with Trinity Station, King’s
Daughters and Sons Home and Woodland Oaks. All 3 went above and beyond with their help
and care.