Elwin D. Ringham, 1922-2003

RINGHAM

Posted By: Emmet County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 3/12/2009 at 18:23:41

ESTHERVILLE - Funeral services for Elwin D. (Al) Ringham, 78, of Bettendorf, formerly from Estherville and Spirit Lake, will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 28 [2003] at the Henry-Olson-Fuhrman Funeral Home Chapel in Estherville with the Reverend Larry Willey officiating. Interment will be held at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Estherville with full military graveside rites by VFW Post 3388 and American Legion Post 91. He died on Monday, Jan. 24 at the Bettendorf Care Center in Bettendorf.

Visitation will be held from 4 - 8 p.m. today at Henry-Olson-Fuhrman Funeral Home in Estherville.

He was born on January 20, 1922 in Estherville the son of Joseph and Florence (Wells) Ringham.

Al received his education in the Estherville schools. He left school to help support his mother by working for a body shop in Estherville. He served in the United States Army Air Force from Nov. 28,1942 until his discharge on Jan. 30,1946.

After his discharge, he returned to Estherville and was employed at Motor Inn as a shop foreman and mechanic.

On July 1, 1950 he was united in marriage to Doris Davis at Jackson, Minn. Al then owned and operated Al's Auto and Al's Honda and Yamaha for many years. He enjoyed fishing and wood carving, especially birds.

Al was a member of the United Methodist Church in Estherville, the VFW Post 3388, the American Legion Post 91 and the North Star Masonic Lodge, all of Estherville. He was active in the Estherville Winter Sports Festival where he organized the snowmobile races.

He is survived by his wife, Doris of Davenport; two daughters, Mary Sifrit and her husband, Mark of Bettendorf, and Quint Ann of Orlando, Fla.; two grandsons, Jeffrey Sifrit of Overland Park, Kan. and Jason Sifrit attending the University of Iowa in Iowa City; one granddaughter, Jann Turnbull of Orlando, Fla., and two great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, twin sisters and a grandson, Jerry Lee Thompson.

Contributed by: Ruth Hackett. Source: Estherville Daily News, Estherville, Emmet County, Iowa, January 27, 2003.