Among the Texas Victims: a Longtime Camp Director

Heart O' the Hills Camp for Girls was not in session when the devastating flash floods hit Texas Hill Country early Friday—but longtime director and co-owner Jane Ragsdale was on the property and died in the flooding, the Houston Chronicle reports. The camp said in a statement: "We at the camp are stunned and deeply saddened by Jane's death. She embodied the spirit of Heart O' the Hills and was exactly the type of strong, joyful woman that the camp aimed to develop with the girls entrusted to us each summer."

Ragsdale's connection to Heart O' the Hills spanned decades, starting as a camper and counselor in the 1970s. She became co-owner in 1976 and assumed the role of director in 1988. The Chronicle describes her as well-known in the camp community and reports that she earned the Pioneer Trailblazer Award in 2022 as well as a national lifetime achievement award from the Camp Owners and Directors Association.

As news of her death spread, hundreds took to the camp's Facebook page to share memories and condolences, describing her as a mentor and leader to generations of girls. The camp said, "We are mourning the loss of a woman who influenced countless lives and was the definition of strong and powerful."