RICHARD “DICK” THEODORE RINGLER
January 14, 1938 – September 3, 2010
Richard Theodore Ringler went to be with the Lord on September 3rd after a lengthy illness, at St. John’s Hospital, Cassville, MO. Richard was born on January 14th, 1938, in Roaring Spring, PA and moved to Wilmington, DE as a young child, where he joined the U. S. Marines at age 17. He served 12 years in the Corp and was always very proud of that. He became a Criminal Investigator for the Marines. After serving his country, and receiving his Honorable Discharge from Camp Pendleton, CA, he joined the U. S. Marshals’ Office in Orange County, California where he retired and then moved to Branson, MO where he became the Forsyth City Manager. Richard was a Branson Police Sergeant. He also worked for the Taney County Sheriffs’ Department as Deputy Sheriff, then as Criminal Investigator for the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Office and retired as Chief Deputy Sheriff of Taney County. Richard was on the Board of Taney County and was instrumental in getting a 911 system into that area, he was on the Board of Taney County Child Welfare Program for 17 years and was instrumental in starting COMET, a drug program. He was a former Forsyth City Councilman, belonged to the Branson American Legion and the Masons. His hobbies were fishing, playing golf, coin collecting and baseball card collecting.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Inez and Grant Ringler and his son, Richard Kirk Ringler. He is survived by daughter, Melissa Marie Ringler-Scott (William Scott), of Travelers Rest, SC, grandsons Clint Richard Walker & Asa John Walker of Travelers Rest, SC, brothers Gerald H. Ringler, Sr. (Adella “Dale”) of Bear, DE and Thomas T. Ringler (Tamara) of Jerico Springs, MO, and two nephews and one niece. He is also survived by Branson entertainer and former wife, Chisai Childs (Mark Allen Ingram) with whom he shared twenty-five years of marriage, remained “best friends” and who was at his side at the time of his death.
A Memorial Service will be held at Greenlawn Funeral Home in Branson, MO on September 23, 2010 at 4:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to TANEY COUNTY DARE PROGRAM, P. O. BOX 1005, FORSYTH, MO 65653, as Richard spent his life eradicating drugs.