Ronald Lloyd Ringer 87, of Medicine Lodge, died October 4, 2022 at Hilltop Manor Nursing Center, Cunningham.
He was born on September 24, 1935 at Wichita, the son of Lloyd Ringer and Erma (Elliott) Ringer. Ron was a natural salesman and when he was five years old, living in Wichita, he loaded his wagon and walked with a wagonload of newspapers to sell to the waste paper company, well over a mile away. When Ron was six, the family moved to the farm north of Harry on Maize Road. His father gave him his first Guernsey calf and he used his tips as a caddie at Westlink Country Club to buy more cattle. The family milked Guernsey cows and sold raw milk. Ron would run his milk route before school. The family was active in the Registered Guernsey Association and had a photo taken with his boys and father, Lloyd, with J.C. Penney at the state Guernsey sale. Moving to the Cheney area, when raw milk was outlawed, he became an investor in Cream O Gold Dairy in Hutchinson and owned the Wichita distributorship running five retail delivery routes.
Ron went to work after the dairy business for S.C. Johnson & Son and traveled Southwest Kansas calling on warehouses and grocery stores. It was during this time that he fell in love with the Medicine Lodge area. He was asked to open a food brokerage for a company. His son, Rodney was working for another brokerage company when they decided to open their own partnership.
After selling the company for his first retirement he was bored and purchased R&R Liquor at Central & Anna in Wichita. After selling that business and retiring for the second time, he was bored again and purchased Sportsman Wine & Spirits in Garden Plain. After buying land in Barber County, the store was sold for a third retirement.
Building a new home in Barber County he opened The Bunkhouse at Wildfire Ranch Bed & Breakfast. Always being a people person the B&B had guests from 47 States, 30 countries, and over 250 towns in Kansas with many becoming regular visitors and friends. He retired for the fourth time at the end of 2020.
Ronald and Charlotte were never shy about making big changes in their lives and doing things with their family while they were young. Working hard and trusting in the Lord they lived a full life together.
Ronald married Charlotte (Becker) Ringer, who he met at Rock Springs 4-H Ranch, 196 miles from home, even though they lived six miles from each other. They were married 68 years.
Ron was preceded in death by father Lloyd, mother Erma (Elliott) Ringer, and brother Randal.
Ron is survived by wife Charlotte, sons Roger and Rodney. Brother in Law Charles Becker, sister in law Gladys Kerschen, Aunt Shirley (Elliott) Hoppock, cousins Sheila (Bill) Roepka, Mark Davis, Marilyn (Elliott) Ralph Snook, Royce (Penny) Elliott, Jill (Gossard) Jeff Foster, Sue (Gossard) Miller, Mike (Polly) Hoppock, and Doug (Nancy) Hoppock.
Rosary service will be held at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Medicine Lodge, on Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 7pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, Schulte, KS on Monday, October 10, 2022 at 11am. Interment will be at St. Peter’s Cemetery Schulte.