John "Skip" Ringland
11/26/27-6/22/19
Skip passed away from natural causes in the comfort of his daughter's home. The same place where his wife of 59 years, Carol, preceded him in death, about 2 and 1/2 years ago. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Stewart and Olive Ringland. His brother, Stew Ringland and sister, Carol Galbreath preceded him in death. He was an accountant who worked for Minsky Brothers, a distributor for electronics for 40 years. He also had his own tax business for many years, helping family and friends prepare their tax returns. He served for 20 years as a Board Director for a Savings and Loan that went public during his tenure. He was an Army WWII veteran who served in Japan in the Military Police during the Occupational Forces. He was a VFW member for 64 years, frequenting the Elk Club on Madeira Beach and Tyrone. He was active in the Masonic organization for over 40 years, including serving as Past Worshipful Master and was a member of the Scottish Rite. He coached football for the Woodland Athletic Club and was inducted to the North Side Old Timers Legends of the Past. He loved his Steelers and told everyone he bled black and gold. He moved with his wife Carol to Gulfport, Florida in 1999 and lived In the Groton Building in Town Shores, where they lived until 2016 when Carol became ill. He served on the Board as the Treasurer for many years and participated in all the activities in their community. This included Bocce Ball Tournaments and the Saturday Pancake breakfast. He loved playing golf and was proud of his hole-in-one shot at Buffalo Creek Golf Course in Palmetto, at age 72. He is survived by his two daughters, Kim (Vinny) Ballantoni, with whom he lived and Tracey (Gerard) Dahill. He is survived by his brother-in-law, Robert Smith who resides in San Francisco. He is survived by his grandchildren, Krystle, Zack and his wife Rachel, Ryan and Racquel, Justin, Lauren and Vinny. He is survived by his great grandchildren, Charlotte, Sofia and Ryan. Funeral Services will be held at Bay Pines National Cemetery on July 12, 2019 at 10:30am. A short reception will be held after the service at Carrabba's Italian Grill, 3530 Tyrone Blvd, St. Petersburg, 33710.