Bonnie Brown Ring

Bonnie Brown Ring, was born in Sparkman, Arkansas on July 31, 1938, to Floyd Iron Brown and Birdie Lee Tuberville Brown. She left this world on July 16, 2016. Bonnie grew up in and around Pine Bluff, Arkansas and graduated High School from Pine Bluff in 1955, where she was a Band Maid Beauty, president of the Arts Club and was involved in many high school activities and sand in the Acapella Choir. She met husband, Gene..(or known as "Brownie" by his friends, from a nickname his father had given to him when he was a small child, and had brown eyes, although his brothers had blue)…on July 3, 1959 on a blind date. They were married the following February 11, 1960. She and her husband, Dr. Gene Ring, moved to Dardanelle after his internship at the Arkansas Baptist Hospital in 1962. They had planned to move to either Hot Springs or Eureka Springs, but after a visit with Dr. Ring's longtime friend from Morrilton, Wylie jones, who lived here and taught school and worked in the poultry industry, he decided Dardanelle would be a good place to practice medicine. They brought with them a small daughter, Kelly, who was born in Little Rock and they lived in a small house behind the clinic on Hwy 7. Before long they had another daughter, Robin. Their Children and grandchildren are as follows: Kelly Lee Ring Bulleit of Tampa, Florida and her Husband Ed Bulleit and children, Clark, Raleigh and Kendall. Clark is 19 at Duke University in North Carolina. Kendall is 17 and Raleigh is 14 and attends schools in Tampa. Kelly is a TV News Anchor at WTVT in Tampa. Her husband Ed, is a financial advisor. Robin, the youngest, lives in Little Rock and is married to Dr. Rob O'Neal Shaver. Rob is a pathologist at Baptist Medical Center and their children are, Skylar Ring Shaver, a student at University of Colorado, majoring in Astro Physics, and Robert Stone age 16 a student at PA in Little Rock. Robin is a Photographers Model in Little Rock. Bonnie soon became involved in local affairs of the city. She was a Brownie Scout Leader, although she admits she wasn't very good, her students seemed to enjoy it. Some of the other originations Bonnie was led to in her early years were: Yell County Library Board, Farmer's Home Administration of Yell County, a Lay Therapist for the Rape Crisis Committee and a Lay Therapist for SCAN and a board member for PRIDE2. Which built the new gazebo in the downtown park. In later years, Bonnie was involved with the Arkansas River Valley Arts Center, located in Russellville, where she served as the very first Vice President. In 1976 she served as An Alternate Delegate for Ronald Reagan, and served as Delegate for state Constitutional Convention in 1980. She served as Chairman of the Voters Committee for the new constitution, and was a charter member when living in Pulaski County of the Young Republicans Club. For 13 years, she served on the board of the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame in Pine Bluff. She was appointed by Gov. Bill Clinton, and often voiced her problems about the center to him. The center is now a great pride for the State, located in Pine Bluff. She and her brother, Jim Ed Brown, and her sister Maxine Brown, were inducted into the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame in 1998. Her name is on the Walk Of Fame in Hot Springs for Outstanding Arkansans, and was honored by the Arkansas Senate as Outstanding Citizens in 2007. She was inducted, along with her brother and sister, into the American Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006, as Outstanding Vocal Group of the Decade. And most important of all, they (The Browns) were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame at a news conference in Nashville, March 2015. They were formally inducted October 25, 2015 at the Madillion Ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee. Although brother Jim Ed, who passed away in June of 2015 from lung cancer, was presented his award in his hospital room days before his death, Maxine and Bonnie received their award at the ceremony. This is the highest honor paid to those in the Country Music Field. Their bronze plaques will be hung in the rotunda at the Museum forever. The Browns, (Jim Ed, Maxine and Bonnie) recorded as The Browns for RCA Victor for 13 years, and their many records included so many million sellers. They included "The Three Bells", "The Old Lamplighter" and "Scarlet Ribbons." From 1955 until 1967 they recorded more than 250 songs. Bonnie decided to retire from the music business in 1967 to spend more time with her young daughters, Kelly and Robin, and her husband, Dr. Ring. Jim Ed and Maxine carried on for awhile. Maxine finally decided to retire also a few months later. Jim Ed carried on and helped to keep the name of the Browns and their recordings alive. Although Maxine and Bonnie would get together often and make a trip to Nashville to do guest appearances with their brother on the Grand Ole Opry—a show they joined officially in 1963---they were always afraid the audience had forgotten them, but they were always met with encores, and standing ovations. The audience didn't forget them after all. Bonnie is survived by her daughters, Kelly Lee Ring Bulleit and her husband Ed Bulleit of Tampa, Florida. Her youngest daughter Robin Rachelle Ring Shaver and her husband Dr. Rob Shaver and their children Skylar Ring Shaver and Robert Stone Shaver. Also her older sister Maxine Brown Russell of Little Rock, Arkansas and her sister-in-law, Becky Sue Brown of Nashville, Tennessee. She is also survived by many well loved nieces and nephews and friends all over the world. She was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Dr. Gene Ring; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Iron Brown of Pine Bluff, Arkansas; her brother, six years old, Raymon; younger sister, Norma Drewsella Sullivan of Little Rock and her older brother Jim Ed Brown of Nashville, Tennessee. Memorial services will be held at 10: a.m., Saturday, July 23, 2016 at the Dardanelle First Presbyterian Church with Pastor Kelly Pearson officiating. Visitation will be held Friday, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the chapel in Dardanelle. Arrangements are by Cornwell Funeral Home and River Valley Cremations in Dardanelle. Online guest book and condolences at www.cornwellfuneralhomes.com.