Obit: Ringstad, John Hunter (1926 - 2015)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Ringstad, Anderson, Jones, Levitt, Comte, Floyd, Thibodaux, Koppert

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 1/28/2015

Ringstad, John Hunter (11 January 1926 - 20 January 2015) With Flag

John Ringstad, 89, of Neillsville died Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015, surrounded by his loving family at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield.

John Hunter Ringstad was born Jan. 11, 1926, in Mont Pleasant, MI, the son of Alfred and Margaret (Anderson) Ringstad. When he was about six years old, he and his family moved to his grandfather’s farm near Eland, WI. He attended grade school in Norrie, WI, and graduated from Wittenberg High School in 1944. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps (USC) June 28, 1944, and served in the South Pacific, Pearl Harbor, during WWII. He was discharged from the USMC Aug. 6, 1946. He attended River Falls State Teacher’s College School of Agriculture, where he met his wife-to-be, Marilyn Jones. John and Marilyn united in marriage Dec. 28, 1949, at the Cylon Methodist Church. John was a member of the Marine Corps Reserve and was called to active duty during the Korean Conflict. In 1951, he graduated from River Falls with a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural education and science.

He took his first job out of college in August of 1952 as the Veterans on Farm Trainer in Oconto Falls. In December of 1952, he received an appointment as the assistant county supervisor with the Farmers Home Administration, USDA, in Viroqua. They lived there until July 15, 1956, when he accepted a position as county supervisor in Neillsville. In August of 1963, he was appointed to the third ward alderman in the city of Neillsville. John was promoted to rural housing specialist, headquartered in Stevens Point and assumed duties as the family housing coordinator. Jan. 28, 1985, he was reassigned to the district offices in Eau Claire as the acting district director and later that year as the district director at Black River Falls. Dec. 28, 1989, John retired from government services after 40 years of service. (That was on their 40th wedding anniversary.) In retirement, he formed his own business, Key Consulting, as a housing specialist. He worked with communities to provide affordable housing low-income individuals and two apartment buildings were named in his honor in Marshfield and Madison.

John was a member of the United Church of Christ in Neillsville and was a member of the Wilson-Heintz VFW Post 2241 in Neillsville and served on the Military Honors. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and ice fishing, woodworking, reading and golfing. He was a social person who enjoyed people and enjoyed life. He always said, ‘I’m a lucky man!’

He is survived by his wife, Marilyn; three children: Paula (Bernie) Levitt of Houston, TX, Jill Comte of Oakland, CA, and Tom Ringstad of Stoughton; seven grandchildren: Jason Comte, Lauren (Nick) Floyd, Nicole (Matt) Thibodaux, John Ringstad, Jeremy Comte, Adam Ringstad and Michael Ringstad.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, James.

Funeral services for John were held at 10:30 a.m. Satruday, Jan. 24, 2015, at the United Church of Christ in Neillsville, with visitation from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at the Gesche Funeral Home in Neillsville and from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Satruday at the church. Pastor Jacoba Koppert officiated. Interment was in the Hillcrest Cemetery in Norrie, with military honors conducted by the Wittenberg Boecher-Johnson American Legion Post #502.

Casketbearers were Jason Comte, Jeremy Comte, John Ringstad, Adam Ringstad and Michael Ringstad.

Online condolences may be made at www.geschefh.com.  The Gesche Funeral Home assisted John’s family with funeral arrangements.