Couple Devoted to Family and Friends

Any list of the greatest parents and grandparents must include Dave and Fran Ringler, who have dedicated themselves to providing the best possible lives for their children, Melissa, Warren and Stuart, their daughters-in-law Catherine and Josephine and their grandkids Kinnon, JoJo and Veronica.

Their sons, Warren and Stuart agreed that they worked as a perfect team to give their children the love and support they needed to be successful in life, and they are continuing to play a valuable role in the lives of their grandchildren.

“My dad has been an excellent father because he provided a wonderful life for us and my mom took care of us and was always there to listen and talk when we needed her,” Stuart said. Warren added that, “My dad is always asking about his grandchildren and my mom has spent countless hours on her hands and knees playing with the grandkids.”

Dave and Fran truly complement each other. Dave is a great problem solver who uses his organizational skills and ability to stay calm and think things through before making decisions, while Fran relishes the opportunity to help others and empathizes with what others are going through. She is also very willing to be silly and act like a kid when the situation calls for it.

The couple are very active, with Dave completing his first marathon at the age of 67, while Fran worked for a long time as a Girl Guide leader and is part of a ladies’ walking group. They really enjoy traveling to other countries and continents together and with close friends. 

The Juliana Ringlers fondly remember them flying to Nova Scotia in 2018 to be with them  and share the experience as they rode their bikes around the Cabot Trail. “They always want to share special moments and events in our lives,” daughter-in-law, Catherine, said. “The Nova Scotia trip is just one example of how they go out of their way to make our times together special.”

The family will always cherish the time spent together at holidays and birthdays. “My favourite times are those we share at “Wahbung,” the family cottage”, Josephine added.  Melissa shared in many of these fond memories and is always in our thoughts and hearts as we create new ones. The 2020 “Finding Fairington” family relay was a wonderful opportunity to honour Melissa, raise money for a great cause and to create another family adventure! 

Dave and Fran are great parents who gave their kids support in whatever they were doing, although the grandkids laughed when they heard about the time when Dave was fed up with the amount of time Melissa was spending on the phone, got the phone from her room and took it apart in the laundry room with a hammer.

The kids are thankful for the valuable lessons their parents passed on to them, including always treating other people with care and respect, and how to take care of themselves and each other, and the importance of keeping family together to create special memories.

“Even though we may not say it all the time, we are all very grateful to have them in our lives,” Warren said. “Thank you, mom and dad, for all that you have given us and done for us over the years. We couldn’t ask for better parents and grandparents and we look forward to sharing many more happy memories together in the future!”