Gene Dale Ring

Gene Dale, better known to many as "Brownie" passed peacefully while in his favorite chair in his home on January 16. He was born on July 16, 1932, at Cleveland, Arkansas, (Conway County). He is the son of the late Ed R. Ring, and the late Vesta Clark Ring of Morrilton. Dr. Ring practiced medicine in Dardanelle, Ark. for 38 years where he co-owned the Dardanelle Family Practice Clinic on Hwy 22 until his retirement in 2000. Dr. Ring was preceded in death by his brother Loren Woody Ring and his wife Ada, of Center Ridge, and his sister Captola Haney and her husband Bob Haney of Atkins. He is survived by his brother, Ralph Clark Ring and his wife, Sadie of Cleveland. Dr. Ring and his wife of 56 years, Bonnie, have two daughters, Kelly and Robin. Kelly Lee, the oldest lives in Tampa, Florida along with her husband Ed Bulleit and their three children, Clark, Kendall, and Raleigh. Their younger daughter, Robin Rachell lives in Little Rock along with her husband, Dr. Rob Shaver and their two children, Skylar Ring, and Robert Stone. After graduating from Morrilton High School in 1950, Gene ("Brownie") joined the US Navy. He served as a medical corpsman during the Korean War, and then was transferred to the Marine Corp. Afterwards, he returned to Arkansas and enrolled at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, majoring in PreMed. After three years, he was admitted to the University of Arkansas Medical School in Little Rock. After graduating from UAMS in 1961, he was chosen to intern at the Baptist Hospital in Little Rock. In 1960, while a junior in Medical School in Little Rock, he married Bonnie Brown of Pine Bluff, and they moved to Dardanelle in 1962. After finishing his internship at Arkansas Baptist Hospital, he and his wife Bonnie started looking for places to hang his shingle, and they made a side trip to Dardanelle to visit his old friends, Wylie and Betty Jones. While in Dardanelle, he learned the town's two doctors were preparing to retire. Since he wanted to locate close to his family in Morrilton, and in a small town, he chose to make their home in Dardanelle. During the years he lived in Dardanelle, he was instrumental in many projects for the growing town. In 1964 he helped to secure a new hospital. The town voted for the new hospital by a margin of 5-1, and Dr. Ring personally called each patient to ask for their support and vote. Before Dardanelle had a hospital, his patients were placed in St. Mary's Hospital in Russellville. During the earlier days of the new hospital, Dr. Ring delivered over 2,000 babies, and he would never rest from the time labor started until the baby was born. Like many other family practitioners in the state, he decided to give up the practice of delivering babies, when the demands of the clinic were growing and his time was needed more there. Dr. Ring's hobbies included raising thoroughbred horses that he raced at Oaklawn and Chicago; Longhorn cattle; Bantam chickens, and Fainting goats. He always liked animals that are on the extinct or nearly extinct list. He also raised all kinds of critters at his home on Mt. Nebo Road including peacocks, guineas, mules, rabbits, turkeys, geese, and ducks. If it was interesting to watch or listen to, he wanted them on his farm. He also liked antique cars and usually had one at home to drive until he found a mouse in one of them. Since the only thing he despised was mice, he decided to get rid of the old cars. After retiring from his medical practice, Dr. Ring enjoyed playing golf with his "Over the Hill" gang. He also enjoyed traveling to many parts of the country with his wife, Bonnie. Another special interest was landscaping around home and making it a colorful place each spring. He planted over 3000 daffodils on the hillside so that all who pass by on the road could enjoy the color for years to come. He was active in the First Presbyterian Church for 54 years. Dr. Ring also served as the Chief of Staff, President of the Yell County Medical Society, and Medical Director for the Dardanelle Nursing Center. Funeral Services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, January 20th, 2016, at Cornwell Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Kelly Pearson officiating. Burial will be in Brearley Cemetery at Dardanelle. Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, January 19th, 2016 at Cornwell Funeral Home Chapel. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: First Presbyterian Church of Dardanelle, 2nd and Quay Street, Dardanelle, Ark. 72834. Pallbearers: Dr. David Bachman, Jim Daly, Birtha Latham, Wanda Price, Jimmy Witt, Wylie Jones, Buster Brown, Stephen Ring, Van Taylor, Saul Flores, Jimmy Russell, Sewell Shoptaw, Sylvia Crow, Dr. Turner Harris, Dr. Donald (Pee Wee) Harr. Arrangements are by Cornwell Funeral Home in Dardanelle. Online guest book and condolences at www.cornwellfuneralhomes.com.