Elizabeth Ann Ringold

Elizabeth Ann Anderson Ringold 94, of Maryville, MO, passed peacefully from this life on August 22, 2012, at her home in Maryville.

Elizabeth Ann Botkin was born on January 13, 1918, to Halfred Payne and Lucy Edna (Barber) Botkin 4.5 miles west of Skidmore in the Burr Oak community. She attended Burr Oak country school and graduated from Skidmore High School in 1935. She taught in country schools while attending Northwest Missouri State Teacher College in Maryville, and upon graduation in 1940, became the first grade teacher at Horace Mann, where she stayed for three years.

On August 26, 1943, she married Elvin Lloyd Anderson in St. Joseph. They lived and farmed at the corner of Route DD and Burr Oak Road until they sold the cattle, rented the farm and retired to Maryville in 1980. In addition to being a farm wife, Elizabeth was involved in church work and 4-H. She loved flowers and gardening, and as 4-H leader for flower arranging, worked with several children who prepared demonstrations of flower arranging. Her goal was to make them comfortable with public speaking as well as learning to arrange flowers. While a 4-H Community Leader, she organized skits that involved the entire club and parents, and they won local, district and state awards for several years running. She was also often involved in organizing church programs of local and area talent. She eventually served a term on the extension council.

She was always a big user of the Maryville Public Library and was selected as their 1997 Hall of Fame recipient. She served as vice president of the Friends of the Library, 1981-86, as Friends president, 1986-88, and on the Board of Trustees, 1987-89.

Elizabeth and Howard Ringold were married on May 3, 1987, some time after losing their spouses, who passed away only a few days apart. Elizabeth became more involved in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), after she moved to Maryville, especially in the Junior America Citizens program. She and Howard, also a long time teacher, traveled to the schools in the county, encouraging principals and teachers to have their students participate in the various contests that involved writing and art, and they usually returned to celebrate the students’ success with a party as they had numerous state and national winners. At Opal Eckert’s request, she also became involved in collecting Heritage essays that were placed in the Maryville Public Library. The Nodaway County Historical Society invited her participation in their 1940’s oral history project. For these and other activities throughout her life, Nodaway Chapter honored her with the DAR Women in American History Award in 2008.

Elizabeth’s memberships included the Burr Oak United Methodist Church, Nodaway Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Association for Childhood Education (ACE), Mutual Improvement Club, and the Naomi Phoebe Circle of the Maryville First United Methodist Church.

Preceding her in death were her parents, her first husband, Elvin L. Anderson, her second husband, Howard Ringold, and her sister Mary Rebekah Ruddell.

Left to mourn her passing is her daughter, Barbara Lou and husband Woodrow Dew, Ottawa, KS; niece, Marilyn Lee Pope, Williamsburg, NM; and 2 great nieces and their families.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM Friday, August 24, 2012, at the Bram-Danfelt Funeral Home, Maryville, MO. The burial will be in the Burr Oak Cemetery, west of Skidmore, MO. The family will meet with friends just prior to the service at the funeral home.

Memorials may be directed to the Maryville Public Library or to the Burr Oak United Methodist Church.

For online condolences and obituary, visit www.bramfuneralhome.comElizabeth