Jane M. (Reinhart) Ringwald (1927-2014)

RINGWALD, REINHART

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 5/10/2014 at 10:33:51

Obituary From Adams Soderstrum Funeral Home, Story County, Iowa.

Jane M. Ringwald
December 7, 1927 - April 12, 2014

Jane Reinhart was born in Hazleton, a coal mining town in eastern Pennsylvania, in 1927. Her father, George, passed away when she was in high school. Jane and her mother, Irene, then moved to Lewisburg to live with her grandfather. She eventually earned a Masters Degree in Chemistry, and at a time when very few women held professional positions, became a researcher for Mead Paper Company. She went on to teach math at Ohio University and, later, Iowa State.

Jane met Dick Ringwald in class at Bucknell University in Lewisburg and they married in 1950. Evidently, despite the differences in their personalities, they fell for each other. Love and mutual respect had seen them through 50 years of marriage when Dick passed in 2000.

Living alone, Jane remained intrepid and engaged. To put this in perspective:

She went dog-sledding in Minnesota in subzero weather. She boated the Amazon and camped on its banks. She helped install water purifiers in Swaziland, explored Machu Picchu, went cave snorkeling in the Yucatan, and reef snorkeling in Thailand. She zip-lined in Costa Rica. She visited Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa. She made a grand trip to New Zealand and had her eye on Antarctica.

She was an avid golfer and tennis player. She last bowled with the ISU Women’s club less than a month ago. She was almost always game for a new activity or experience. As long as it didn’t involve getting tattooed or eating fish.

Jane served on the Stonebrook board (where she lived for many years), was treasurer for Central Iowa Symphony, was on the graduate board of Kappa Kappa Gamma, delivered Meals on Wheels, went on service pilgrimages to Pine Ridge and elsewhere. She was in Altrusa and briefly president of the Prairie Club. She was in book clubs and bible study groups. Finally and importantly, she was long the organist at St John’s by the Campus in Ames.

Again, for perspective, Jane did all this stuff – the travel, church work, sports, and organizational leadership – after her 60th birthday.

Jane Ringwald was loving, smart, energetic, and involved. She liked to help people but hated to ask for help. She will be deeply missed by the family and friends she loved and inspired.

Jane was preceded in death by her husband, Dick, and her grandson, Cassidy. She is survived by her children, Rebecca and Scott, and her grandchildren Scott Michael, Whitney, Eric, and Craig.

A memorial service will be held at 3:00pm on Wednesday, April 12, 2014 at St. John’s by the campus. Instead of sending flowers, please consider donating to St. John’s (http://www.stjohns-ames.org/giving/special-offerings).

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