Retta Vondalea Ringer

Retta "Vondalea" Ringer, 95, of Macon, Missouri joined her heavenly father on October 17, 2025. Vondalea was born in Hayes County, Nebraska on January 7, 1930. She was the daughter of Henry and Pauline Harmon. Her family moved to Putnam County Missouri in 1931. 

In 1947, Vonda was married in Kirksville, Missouri to Wilbern Eugene Lawson. To this union, four children were born; Dale, Michael, Ricky Lee, and Angela. In 1960, WIlbern and Vonda, with their oldest son, Dale, were baptized in Novinger, Missouri at the Baptist church. 

After Wilbern passed away in 1962, Vonda worked at the Holiday Inn in Kirksville as an auditor and front desk manager. After several years, Dale and Mike got married and Vonda took Rick and Angela to live in California where her mother and oldest sister lived. Vonda went to work at the Holiday Inn in downtown Las Angeles full time and worked part time as an instructor for Chaney Brothers School of Driving. She also managed the apartments where her family lived and attended junior college. After she was there a short time, Dale and Mike and their families came out there to live. After living there for eight and a half years, they moved back to the Iowa and Missouri area. Angela graduated from dental school and stayed in California.

Vonda and friends later decided to go to Arizona for the winter. It was in Arizona that she met and married Earl Ringer, giving her five step children; Everett, Richard, Joyce, Elizabeth, and Roger. Vonda and Earl bought a motor home and joined a small, private camping club. They traveled the United States and Old Mexico. They enjoyed traveling once a month with the camping club. Vonda and Earl belonged to the Baptist church and were very active there. They enjoyed housing and feeding missionaries when groups came to Arizona. After living in Arizona for 15 years, they decided to move to Macon, Missouri so that Earl could hunt and fish with Vonda's sons. 

Earl and Vonda bought land and had a home built just outside of the city limits in Macon. They wanted to be close to church, a hospital, a YMCA, and wanted to be able to build a barn for their motor home. They joined the First Baptist Church and enjoyed one mission trip together before Earl's passing in 2006.

Vonda was preceded in death by her husband Wilbern Lawson, her husband Earl Ringer, her parents, one son Michael, two brothers, and two sisters. Vonda is survived by two sons; Dale Lawson of Macon, MO and Rick Lawson of Hurdland, Missouri, one daughter Angela of Bonaparte, Iowa, four step-children, ten grandchildren, six great grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren. 

Before Vonda became ill, she was a member of the YMCA, hospital auxiliary, Red Hat Ramblers, a small coffee group, and a quilting group. 

Vonda was a very caring, compassionate, friendly person and made friends easily, wherever she went. She loved life, she loved her family, and she loved the Lord. 

Memorials to honor Vondalea may be left to the family.