Mr. John Wesley Ringo

RINGO, Mr. John Wesley - Age 96, passed away Wednesday, August 10, 2022 in Columbus, OH. Family hour 10:00 AM Monday, August 22, 2022 at New Community Baptist Church, 1375 Lavender Ave., with funeral services commencing at 11:00 AM. Elder Frederick Ringo, officiating. Interment FIint Memorial Park, G=9506 N. Dort Hwy., Mt. Morris, MI. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the church 10:00 AM Monday. Mr. Ringo will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., and may be viewed from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Sunday.
John W. Ringo was born March 27, 1926 and passed August 10, 2022. His life was filled with joy and triumph as he navigated through the Jim Crow south and established a magnificent life for himself and his family in Flint, Michigan.
Despite the hill he had to climb and the obstacles to overcome, John Wesley Ringo found a way to rise anyway. He impacted so many lives during his 96 years including, his classmates at Cobb High School in Anniston, Alabama, comrades in the Military, lifelong friends at Talladega College, colleagues at General Motors, and most importantly, his family with our mom Eugenia Sargent-Ringo.
As soon as he turned eighteen during his senior year of high school he was swept off to fight in WWII so quickly he was not able to complete his last year. While serving in the United States Navy he was met with a hostile environment. Despite that he was able to make friends with, and positively impact the lives of his black and white counterparts during his service as a medic. He completed basic training in Great lakes, Ill, then served as a medic at the United States Naval Hospital in San Diego, California.
After being honorably discharged in New York, NY, John gravitated towards Harlem where he associated with another charismatic black man, Congressman Adam Clayton Powell. Congressman Powell appointed John to West Point and he was the first black man from the state of Alabama to earn that distinction.
His next ambition was influenced by his experience at the Naval hospital in San Diego. John aspired to be a doctor, so he went to Talladega College in Alabama, and majored in biology and minored in physics. John was a very suave dresser with a charismatic swag that made people gravitate to him. He was trained to dress respectfully at Talladega College. The men there were required to wear suits every day to class.
John was a great provider for his family. He ran the family real estate and tax service businesses on top of his job at General Motors. John was very involved in the civil rights movement, he even spent time with Dr. King.
With the mother of his first child, Mary Reed he blessed the world with Joseph Von Ringo. John married Earlene Smith and two children were born from that marriage, Derrick and Kim. John met the love and the light of his world Eugenia Sargent and the two married in the late 1950 s. From their irreplaceable love they brought Karl, Fredrick, Donnel, Charles, and Norma into the world. After the loss of Eugenia he married Lorean Johnson Ringo.
He was a man with great charm, who made many connections throughout his life s journey and built a lasting legacy with his beloved children. We thank God for the father he was, here is an example of the type of father he was. Every Sunday prior to attending church we had family prayer before church. Although it was our mom s rule, daddy was the enforcer, he made sure we were all there and participated by singing, but he really couldn t sing, but he was trying his best.
Although we traveled to Birmingham and his hometown, Anniston, Alabama every year we explored other places too. Daddy took us on fun, educational family trips every year. We zoomed out of Michigan with a Starcraft pop up camper tied to the back of a hog ( aka cadillac) and visited relatives in Chicago, St.Louis, Kansas City, Denver, Los Angeles with a stop at Disneyland down to San Diego and into Mexico. The next year we did the east coast, New York, Washington DC and the following year down the middle of the country. He made sure we had a geography, history and cultural lesson sponsored by him every year. He conturnited that tradition with his grandchildren, taking them on educational trips as well.
John taught his children lessons about community service and being a good citizen, he led by example. He served as the President of Barks Street Block Club for many years. He was also a Member of the Brenen Senior Center. There, he shared stories, broke bread and hung out with other seniors from the south side of Flint. When the center was in danger of losing funding, John helped with the plan to save the center and was very helpful in getting the 501-C distinction to keep the funding.
He was also a faithful member of the Macedonia Baptist Church in Flint, Michigan. His tenure lasted starting in the late 1950 s and into the new millennium. There he served on the Senior Usher board and the District, State and National Laymen's group, a community outreach arm of the church. Also known as Ringo, he was an athlete, in his younger days he ran track, boxed and his exposure to golf from the age of twelve made him a champion amateur golfer. Ringo loved spending time and competing in golf tournaments with the Vehicle City Golf Club.
John was preceded in death by his parents Wesley Ringo and Marie Groce -Ringo, loving wife Eugenia Ringo, brother Willie B. Ringo, his loving sister, Mary Lee Radney (William) and son Joseph Von Ringo
He leaves to cherish his memory, former wife Lorean Ringo, his children, Derrick, Kim(Stanley) both from Anniston, AL, Karl Ringo, Flint, MI, Frederick (Jacqueline) Lexington, KY, Norma (Jerome) Columbus, OH, Donell (Helena) Chesapeake, VA, and Charles, Cincinnati, OH; Nephew Carl Ringo (Belinda), Atlanta, GA Grandchildren: Trina, Amber, John Paul, Keiyada, Yolanda, Krishon, Alana, Johnathan, Victoria, Breaunna, Sheena, Darnell, Lilia, Caleb
17 Great Grandchildren and 2 Great-Great Grandchildren, and a host of other relatives and dear friends.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow I wish for you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life s been full, I savored much Good friends, good times, a loved one s touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief Don t lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your heart and share with me God wanted me now, God set me free.
We will always carry his memory in our hearts.