Ariane Barnes Ringler

Obituary For Ariane Barnes Ringler

The family of Ariane Barnes Ringler would like to share this epilogue to her beautiful life. She passed away Monday, May 5, 2025 at her home in Bellingham, WA with her husband, Daniel and daughters, Laural and Amy beside her. She had courageously dealt with bulbar ALS for over a year.

Ariane was born in Ashland, OH on Feb. 23, 1941 to Delbert and Elma (Gregory) Barnes. She grew up in New London, OH, and graduated from New London High School in 1959, and Miami University of Ohio in 1963. The 6th grade was a momentous marker in Ariane’s life, as Dan Ringler entered the scene. Ariane’s family dog could no longer stay in her home and Dan offered to take the dog to his farm where she could still visit him. Dan walked Ariane home from school to get the dog and a budding romance began that carried them through high school, college, a June 15, 1963 wedding day (one week after Ariane graduated college), and 62 years of marriage.

As newlyweds, Dan and Ariane lived in Columbus, OH while Dan finished his veterinary schooling, and Ariane started her first teaching job. They moved to Fort Lewis in Washington state when Dan entered the Army, and daughter Laural was born there. Soon after they moved to Ann Arbor, MI, where daughter Amy was born. Ariane continued her 25-year teaching career, and earned her Masters in Education from Eastern Michigan University in 1981. She built community everywhere, through her dedication to the Alpha Phi sorority that had begun at Miami, quilting with fellow teachers, performing roles in Thurston Players productions, and sharing her card-making, crafts, and creative hospitality, including decades of group gingerbread house-making at gatherings with Dan’s veterinary colleagues.

The family enjoyed camping, sailing and visiting New London and Rochester, Ohio grandparents and extended family while their daughters were still at home. In later years, Ariane became Pit Crew, Mechanic and Crew Chief as Dan engaged in SCCA auto racing. They followed NASCAR and local races throughout the Midwest and eventually used a motorhome to travel extensively around the United States for ten years.

Both daughters settled on the West Coast, which prompted Ariane and Dan to purchase a home in Bellingham, WA. This was an ideal location for yachting, growing flowers, and having popcorn hour with their grandchildren, Noah, Dana, and Alexi. They made deep friendships through the Bellingham Yacht Club, where Ariane maintained the flowers at the clubhouse entrance for a decade, and won numerous awards for creativity. During this time, Dan and Ariane also enjoyed many wonderful trips, including to the Galapagos Islands, Europe, and the Mediterranean, including a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia, Turkey (Ariane was 82 then).

Ariane was preceded in death by her parents, Delbert and Elma Barnes, and brother, Greg. She is survived by her husband, Daniel; two sisters, Allison Marshall, and Andrea (Steve)Boss; her daughters, Laural Ringler (Tom Caldwell), and Amy Ringler (Liana Cathoir); three grandchildren,Noah Ringler (Sanam Masroor), Dana Ringler and Alexi Ringler; many nieces and nephews that cherished Aunt Ariane, and dear friends in Bellingham and across the country.

Ariane was an extraordinary human that amazed us with her strength, determination, care for others, and love for her family. Ariane’s presence in any space was an assurance that everything would be more colorful and more fun. She wore bright colors, arranged flowers, and encouraged others to sparkle through her very last day. There will be a private family remembrance at a later date. In lieu of flowers, we encourage you to consider a donation to your local hospice, the national ALS association (als.org) or End of Life Washington (endoflifewa.org). We will keep her in our hearts, and think of her when we see flowers, yard flamingos, and anything purple.

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