Don Ringrose
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(above) Don Ringrose and his Dad, the
Doctor, taken at 89ers Day parade, 1989
Doctor, taken at 89ers Day parade, 1989
| Our thanks to Nancy (Lorenzen) Ferriman for sending these pics of Don Ringrose (below) |
| (right) Karen (Jestes) Niles with Don Ringrose |
| (above) Nancy (Lorenzen) Ferriman with Don Ringrose, Sept. 27, 2006 |
Classmates:
This is a hard email for me to write.
My friend and yours, Don Ringrose had an accident Monday, April 26. As he was crossing on Noble street about 11:00 yesterday, walking
with his walker, he was hit by a pickup that evidently he didn't see and they didn't see him. He was taken to Logan Medical Center here in
Guthrie and from there by Medi-Flight to OU Medical Center in OKC. He died about 8:00. His brother Dr.Robert told Short that he never
regained consciousness. I'll let you know more as we find out.
Don moved back to Guthrie about 1-1/2 years ago and had started a new life for himself. He made some new friends (kept us old ones)
and walked all over town, to the library and to do his errands and started attending the First United Methodist Church where I attend.. He
sang in our choir and had just started practicing on the piano and organ working the stiffness out of his fingers..He was always ready to go,
it didn't matter where. Some of the best times we had was going through the Braum's drive through and then driving around licking our ice
cream cones. I'm really going to miss him and I know some of you will too.
Judith
This is a hard email for me to write.
My friend and yours, Don Ringrose had an accident Monday, April 26. As he was crossing on Noble street about 11:00 yesterday, walking
with his walker, he was hit by a pickup that evidently he didn't see and they didn't see him. He was taken to Logan Medical Center here in
Guthrie and from there by Medi-Flight to OU Medical Center in OKC. He died about 8:00. His brother Dr.Robert told Short that he never
regained consciousness. I'll let you know more as we find out.
Don moved back to Guthrie about 1-1/2 years ago and had started a new life for himself. He made some new friends (kept us old ones)
and walked all over town, to the library and to do his errands and started attending the First United Methodist Church where I attend.. He
sang in our choir and had just started practicing on the piano and organ working the stiffness out of his fingers..He was always ready to go,
it didn't matter where. Some of the best times we had was going through the Braum's drive through and then driving around licking our ice
cream cones. I'm really going to miss him and I know some of you will too.
Judith
| Our thanks to Dianne (Quick) Fryar for sending a remembrance note and the pic from church (below). |
| Letters from Classmates Don has always been special to me and at the last reunion (2008) it was so good to see him and I was so grateful to be able to let him know that. From grade school on...walking home from school with him; being transferred to the Jr. High band while still in grade school at the same time; riding to instrumental competitions with him and his family; hearing and seeing his horses and his love for them. During the 89er Parade in 1989 (the big one) Bob and I sat with him and his father and Don was pointing out the different characteristics of the horses hooves. Distance made our contact sporadic and that saddens me. But Thank the Lord he had the last few years of acceptance and friends around him. I miss him. Nancy S. (Lorenzen) Ferriman 20403 Forest Drive Spring, TX 77388 (Cell) 281.787.6587 rhf39@sbcglobal.net ============================================================== ======= Thanks Judith I appreciate the effort you take to hold us the Class of 61 together. It is indeed a tragic end to a troubled life. It is a blessing he finished his days among a few friends. Face it we are all lucky to have a few real friends at this stage of life. As we are starting that last lap we will start missing more and more of these friends. You guys are a special bunch. I have been just about everywhere and have never seen a better group of people who just seem to accept each other and stick together. Short was exceptionally kind to Don and I really respect him for that. I talk to John Niles almost weekly and several times a week by email/insults as you know it isn't pretty but it's great time. That's what it's all about Friends , Family and Faith. Speaking of faith a couple of years ago I had a rather belabored conversation with Don regarding his faith. I am well satisfied as to where he will spend eternity. If any one else is interested in talking about that John Niles,Larry Johnson or myself I'm sure would be glad to talk to you at anytime. Jimmy Crenshaw ============================================================== ======= Les Rodman: Judith, Thanks for the heads-up on Don. He and I go back to Kindergarten ============================================================== ======= David Mohler: Judith, what a very nice note you sent out regarding Don and his moving back to Guthrie the last year or so. I didn't know that he had returned. Thank you for keeping us all up to date..... I know what it is for someone close to depart this life quite unexpectedly. I can still remember the night I got a call that told me my brother had passed away. WOW. Not fun. We are still in Arizona for a few more days then back to TableRock lake in Missouri. Hope I can get to Guthrie sometime this summer for a short visit and to check family gravesites. I'll give you a call when we know when we might come. Thanks again for all you do. You are a very special person. david ============================================================== ======= Robert Axley: Judith, thank you so much for caring enough to let us know of this terrible event. I can only imagine how hard it was for you, and continues to be. What a tragedy! My prayers are with the entire Ringrose family……….. and for you and all of Don’s family and friends. He was a wonderful friend and even though I have not seen him in years he will be missed. Our only consolation is that Don is now with our Lord. Bob ============================================================== ======= Ann (Marshall) Lalicker: Judith, The story about Don that I mentioned to you on the phone has to do with Audrey's funeral and the Guthrie News Leader's difficulties in getting anything right. After that first obit where my name was at the top (on Nov. 11), GNL printed a second one (on Nov. 13) that said "arraignments" rather than "arrangements" were being made. It also gave a time and place for the funeral but no date. So I sent an email to the editor and told her I thought my mother-in-law deserved better than that, etc., etc. I didn't ask the editor to do anything about it because it was well after the fact and I've never noticed that the paper published corrections. Well, Su got a call--a month later--from the funeral home asking if someone had submitted another obit to the paper, because a visitor had come that day who wanted to see Audrey. She told him that Audrey's funeral had been held the month before. The visitor said, "It was in the paper today." The visitor was Don, and he had indeed read it in the paper that day (Dec.13). It had been published again with "arraignments" changed to "arrangements." However, the rest of the paragraph was still intact: "Services will be held at First Christian Church of Guthrie at 2 p.m. Burial will follow at Summit View Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are under direction of Smith- Gallo Funeral Home." Don read that and came directly to the funeral home to pay his respects. He insisted that the staff let us know that he had been there. I thought that was the sweetest thing ever, so I sent him a note to thank him for being there. (Of course, I'm still irked with the paper, but the editor moved to a different city and I was afraid to send yet another email for fear yet another obit would get printed. How much could it cost to hire a proofreader?) Just thought you'd like to know how much that lovely memory of Don means to me. Annnnnnnnnnnnnn ============================================================== ======= Dianne Quick Fryar: Don and I grew up in the same neighborhood on East Noble. He was a hyper, wirey kid that always seemed to be going 100 m.p.h. He loved animals and riding horses, being the only one of us who could do the Roy Rodgers flying jump over the back of the saddle. He also had a Roman style chariot that he drove at times. He was forced to take dancing lessons, tap and ballet, back before Dancing with the Stars. He also played piano and was in the band. I was happy when he returned to Guthrie even though there was little left of that wild kid I grew up with. One thing he enjoyed was wheeling his walker around. He had friends all over the city and in his apartment complex as he always had such a funny sense of humor. He joined our church choir and I tried to make sure he had a ride home through all our snow this year even though he had wonderful snow boots. One of his favorite sayings would pop out whenever anyone said they were glad to see him. He would retort, "better to be seen than viewed." Well old friend, there was no viewing but you left many friends to say good-bye. Sincerely and with love, Dianne Quick Fryar: |
| Classmates, I wanted everybody to know that even though there wasn't a formal memorial service for Don, there was a very touching remembrance held on Wednesday after his accident on Monday. I work at Trinity Episcopal Church which also hosts a "free" lunch program, Monday thru Friday, and is sponsored by several churches and businesses in Guthrie as well as many volunteers. We average about 30 people per day. They are almost like a family as many of the same people eat there every day. There's also random people who are just passing thru town or just need help until they get on their feet. However, most are living on Social Security or Disability, or just have a part-time job. As we all know, you just can't make it on that alone! Don was crossing the street to go eat lunch when the accident occurred. Don began eating at Lunch on Noble about a year ago, and had continued to bless us with his smile and humor. He was one of the patrons that never failed to thank the volunteers for the lunch and tell them how good it was. He was famous for asking for only "half servings" because he was expecting Hollywood to call any day! Father John Borrego from Trinity and Rev. Mike DeMoss from the Methodist Church decided it would be nice to remember Don, and they coordinated a very meaningful, short service at Trinity. Many of the people who eat there every day as well as many volunteers who prepare and serve the food, attended. We tried to notify as many classmates as possible, but it was such short notice. There were a few of us fortunate enough to be able to go and so glad we did. He had many friends in many walks of life and he will be missed. The response from classmates and their memories of Don have been very uplifting. Just wanted you to know he was remembered in a very special way. Sherry Canning |
